


The Darkness that Binds Us

by jaylm (BlueJayTaco)



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! Series
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Attempted Murder, Boys In Love, Character Death Fix, Consequences, Dark Character, Drama & Romance, Duel Monsters, Duelist Kingdom, Egypt, Established Relationship, Eventual Sex, Fake/Pretend Relationship -Rivalshipping, Ghosts, Illusions, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Magic, Minor Character(s), New York City, No Uke/Seme, Past Lives, Past Relationship(s), Post Ceremonial Duel, Post-Series, Reincarnation, Resurrection, Reunions, Sexual Content, Shadow magic, Slash, Soul Room(s) (Yu-Gi-Oh), Undecided Relationship(s), Violence, Yami Yuugi | Atem has his own body, Yu-Gi-Oh Season Zero, implied blueshipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-10
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2018-04-30 22:43:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 80,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5182412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueJayTaco/pseuds/jaylm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Years have passed since the ceremonial duel and everyone has done their best to move on. And while some were able to carry out their dreams and return to school with little trouble, attempts for a few people have been met with failure. Including the once nameless spirit that lived within the puzzle. Atem decides he will return to Yugi. But he doesn’t realize the consequences that follow his decision. A person can't come back to life without something going wrong, after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a while since I posted something new here and an old fandom popped back into my life. It was a plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone...  
> This chapter's more of a teaser than anything. It'll pick up pretty quick, I promise you that.

He told everyone he was okay and in many ways, this wasn’t a lie. He was happy to see his partner finally pass on in peace and be where he belonged. His smile was mostly genuine as those doors shut.

Part of him felt relieved. Atem was home where he belonged. After all the struggles and the trials to return the Pharaoh to his people in the afterlife, they were finally able to do what was right. The journey back to Domino was quiet, calm, and happy. From here on, he and his friends would be able to return to a life without the constant threat of death hanging over their heads. They could all move on; graduate, get married, have babies. This wasn’t a somber occasion.

It wasn’t until Yugi was back home that the full meaning of his set in. With his grandfather still downstairs and his mother out shopping, he was left completely alone for the first time in years. Every room in the modest little house had an object the spirit handled with borrowed hands. And while the hands would touch the items again, it would never be Atem holding it.

The Pharaoh was gone and everything was silent. There was no weight around his neck anymore. He felt oddly light and naked as he quietly walked up to his room in a trance. He barely felt like he was walking as his emotions numbed over as his mind processed everything over and over again.

No more spirit to haunt him and speak with him. No more waking up late at night with a mind full of problems and having the ability to bounce them off one another. He no longer felt the odd sensation of being watched or the strange knowledge of the presence hanging over his shoulder. He opened the door to his room and for a moment just looked around from the doorway. He felt as if he were truly seeing it for the first time. Like the familiarity of seeing something for the first time in years. Even though he knew for a fact someone slept in that bed only a few weeks ago, the whole room felt cold. Like a place that was abandoned for years. He sucked in a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment.

The room stayed completely silent.

It was in this silence that Yugi felt like he’d been punched in the gut. All the emotions then began to flood back before he could figure out a way to stop them. It hurt more than he would ever willingly admit. He allowed himself to indulge in the feeling for a moment before feeling the need to reprimand himself for being so self-absorbed.

Yes, Atem was gone. And he should be completely, one hundred percent happy the spirit was finally about to move on after being trapped for at least a millennium. He knew who he was and his purpose. After years of staying in that cursed puzzle with no idea who he was, he finally had all the answers he needed. He was free.

But he was gone.

Yugi sank to the floor and leaned against the bedroom floor. This was supposed to be a happy occasion. A cause for celebration because his friend was finally at peace.

He smiled to himself and rubbed at his moist eyes. He sucked in a deep breath to try and calm himself. It didn’t help; the tears found their freedom. He was supposed to be happy about this.

Then why did it feel like his heart was breaking?

 


	2. Alive Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to mention there will be very little connection between this and the movie that's coming out. I might reference it, but consider this an AU.  
> That's the long way of saying Kaiba hasn't completely lost his mind in this story.

 Years flew by and the strange group of friends graduated from Domino and began their own adult lives. But even as time passed, there were a few things that would stay the same. After the initial celebrations of Atem's final steps towards the Afterlife, the spirit of the puzzle was rarely mentioned. For the first few weeks, when there was something that reminded someone even remotely of the Pharaoh, the group would tense and glance subtly towards Yugi.

Every time, there would be a flash of pain in his eyes, but then it would be gone. More often than not, a hand would move up and absentmindedly grope at a spot just above his stomach. Nobody questioned him about it outright due to the cheerful act he put on nearly directly after catching his pain. He was always pretty good at keeping people from worrying.

But there were people he couldn't fool. Out of respect, they kept the conversation between only them and Yugi himself; no one outside the group needed to see how the King of Games broke sometimes. How there were some wounds time absolutely refused to heal. It was hard for a lot of people in the group to understand what this did to their friend.

But they would try.

And they knew there was at least on person who had a close idea of what Yugi experienced. "Yugi, when was the last time you and Ryo had a pow wow?"

Yugi blinked and looked away from his cards and at Jounouchi. A frown pulled at his lips. "Not too long ago, I think. Maybe a few weeks. Why do you ask?"

He shrugged. "Just curious."

Kaiba didn’t care to be so cautious. After years of watching everyone else beat around the bush, he was tired of it. Tired of being the only one to actually try and get him to move on quicker. The short duelist wasn’t made of glass; so many of Yugi’s so-called ‘friends’ forgot that. "He's worried about the fact that Ryo once housed a homicidal maniac and now is left with nothing."

Jou gave Kaiba a dirty look.

He was ignored. Blue eyes started directly into violet. "That can't be easy."

Yugi's hand faltered and he nearly dropped his cards. He broke the eye contact to look back down at them. "It's not." His voice was nearly a mumble. He moved all his monsters in defense mode.

Kaiba and Jou shared a look.

Yugi didn't have to look up to know what they were thinking. "Ryo is going to be alright. He's finally talking about what happened. He's healing." He looked back up at them. "It's a slow process. Rome wasn't built in a day."

Kaiba snorted. "You would know about the slow process better than anyone."

"Kaiba," Jou hissed in warning.

"No, he's right." Yugi swallowed. "I would know better, wouldn't I? But at least I was lucky enough to be more than just a vessel." Suddenly, he just wanted the duel to end. He considered how many moves it would take to get Kaiba to lose. Or at the very least shift his focus back to the duel at hand. “I was a friend...” His voice was soft. Everyone knew without him having to say it Yugi was more than just a friend.

"Or… maybe unlucky?" The words were chosen so carefully and spoken so softly Yugi was sure Jou didn't really want him to hear it.

Now he really wanted the duel to end. He sucked in a deep breath and pushed the thoughts aside, marked to be cleaned up and sorted later.

Maybe he was the unlucky one. Maybe they would be better off if the the Pharaoh was just like the Thief King. But would that really have made it any easier to let him go? Yugi doubted it.

He sucked in a deep breath and made a note to see Ryo after the duel. They needed some time to talk. It was long overdue.

Jou looked at his friend and quickly changed the subject. “Hey! So, you ready for the King’s Duels? You fly out in tomorrow, right?”

Yugi relaxed and smiled at Jounouchi gratefully. “Yeah. I’m surprised you two didn’t sign up for it.”

Kaiba growled. “I have no intention of ever going back to that island.”

Jou rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “I have a few things of my own to take care of. Dad’s finally getting out of the hospital.”

“Oh. Well that’s good.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at the two. “Hey, enough with the gossip! You two can talk all about that when we’re done here.”

Yugi couldn’t help but smile at his rival as he was forced to concentrate on the game again.

 

A week went by with little word from Yugi. The new event opened required the presence of the King of Games and took up a large portion of his time. Many people were after the title now that it was held by someone more approachable. The creator saw this as an opportunity and the King’s Duels were created as a way to both duel for the title and promote some of the new cards and technology. The only qualification was to be a ranking duelist in another tournament. Yugi’s title kept him busy with Pegasus and the others had their own work and classes to worry about.

He headed out to Duelist Kingdom just in time for a storm to hit Domino. That winter hit them particularly hard. Schools were cancelled due to harsh weather conditions and everyone was advised to keep off the roads. And yet, Seto still managed to head into Kaiba Corp to get some work done for the day. Mokuba had tried to get him to simply work from home, but his brother insisted. He needed to oversee the tests of the new duel disks.

The young Kaiba sighed and just continued to play his game. He guessed there was no such thing as a snow day for Fortune 500 businesses. Even if every other company in the surrounding area has already shut down because it was too dangerous to drive.

"Master Mokuba. There's a man on the front gate intercom asking to speak to a Kaiba."

He frowned and paused the game. Who would be there now? "Okay. Thank you." He trotted over to the speaker. "Kaiba speaking?"

There was a long pause. Mokuba wondered if the person had left before he had the chance to answer. But then, someone spoke. "Oh. My apologies, Mokuba. I… I was hoping for your brother."

The voice on the other end was deep and familiar but there was a shutter in his breath and a tiredness in his tone. It put Mokuba on edge, more for the concern of the person on the other end than his own safety. "He’s not here right now. He’s at work and won’t be back for a few hours. Is there anything I can help with?"

Another pause. "I wouldn't want to be any trouble to you but would you mind letting me in? It's very cold out here."

He frowned. "I'll have them open up the gate."

The voice sighed and let out a soft, humorless laugh. "There is an issue there as well… I believe... my legs have carried me as far as they can."

Mokuba didn't need to hear anymore. “Give me a minute.” He let go of the button and threw on his coat and boots. Then he called for a car to meet him at the front gate as he ran through the snow. It was still going even as the snow made it well past his ankles.

The gates opened, but there was no one standing by them. He ran to the intercom and froze at what he saw.

The man wasn't much taller than him. His skin was tan and smooth with only a large white towel hanging from his hips as any form of clothing. His head was leaning against the stone wall, the mess of black, red, and blond hair hit against and made it look much more wild than usual. The snow touched part of his hair and skin, melting and leaving him to shiver.

His eyes were closed when the young Kaiba made it out but they opened slowly as he realized he was no longer alone. He smiled tiredly. "You have grown a bit, haven't you?"

Mokuba shrugged off his coat and wrapped it around the pharaoh. "We need to get you inside before you catch your death."

Atem pulled the coat closer and shivered. "I… apologize for the intrusion."

Mokuba helped him to his feet and wrapped his arm around the other's waist. "No problem. But get ready to be bombarded with questions when Seto gets home." He walked him slowly down the drive until a car pulled up to help get him the rest of the way.

As soon as he was inside, Atem was given clothing and the bath to warm him up. As soon as he was clothed and cleaned Atem passed out, his body finally allowing him a much needed rest curled up next to Mokuba's spot like a cat.

The youngest Kaiba couldn't help but feel a little bad for Atem as he walked to grab the phone. He didn’t want to make the call, but he knew he couldn’t keep this a secret. Who knew how Seto would react to him.

His heart sank when his brother picked up the phone. “What?” He sounded aggravated. This was not going to go well.

“Hey, Seto. Uh, you might want to come home now.”

“Mokuba.” His voice lightened when he realized who he was speaking to. “What’s wrong?”

“Define ‘wrong.’” He shouldn’t beat around the bush. He knew that. It would only be worse if Seto was completely blindsided with this news. “We have a visitor.”

He could almost hear the bones popping through the phone as Seto tensed and prepared himself. “Who?”

“Uh.. A pharaoh that you were pretending didn’t exist?”

The phone went silent. Then Seto spoke again. “I’m on my way.”

The conversation ended there. After hanging up with his brother, Kaiba threw on his coat and ran through the Kaiba Corp offices, his hand already dialing his phone for Jounouchi. As soon as he picked up, Kaiba growled. "My place. Now." He didn't give him a chance to respond. By the time Jou could let out the words, “What? Why?” the line was already dead. He hoped for the sake of his sanity, the idiot would follow his order. Otherwise, he and Mokuba might be hiding a body.

The wheels spun and screamed as Kaiba forced his car as fast as it would go down the snow covered roads. He shouldn't have left this morning. He should have listened to his brother and been there to see the bastard appear himself.

His lips pulled back in a snarl. No; if it had been him instead of Mokuba, Atem would still be sitting out there in the snow. And he would probably die. Then he'd never hear the end of it, saying anyone found out. It wasn’t like he didn’t know how to properly dispose a body.

The car was barely shut off by the time he hopped out of it and burst through the door. He didn't waste anytime finding Mokuba. He knew where his brother would be. He marched into the game room. And once he did, he saw Atem.

The clothing they found for him was nothing more than a T-shirt that nearly fell off his shoulders and a pair of pants so long they covered his feet even after being rolled. He wasn't awake to acknowledge Kaiba. He looked so small compared to the pharaoh who walked through those doors. He was so harmless, almost as innocent looking as Yugi himself.

But the sight of him left Kaiba's blood boiling. What did he want now? How many times would they all have to be torn through this ridiculous back and forth? Why couldn't Atem stay dead?

"Seto," Mokuba greeted him with the same careful tone most would use to keep someone from killing a hostage. His little brother knew him too well. “Take a deep breath before you do something rash.”

He saw Mokuba tense as he knelt down until he was eye level with the still sleeping Atem. He took Mokuba’s advice and pulled in a deep breath as he glared at the other.

It didn’t last long. As if feeling the eyes, Atem opened his own and gave Kaiba a bleary eyed stare. He blinked once before everything snapped into place. Atem jolted up until he was sitting with his back pressed into the cushion behind him. “Kaiba!”

The sound of his voice was enough to bring his rage back to a simmer. Kaiba sneered at him, all Mokuba’s advice now far from his mind. "What do you think you're doing?! Why are you here?!"

He didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say; it was surprising enough to have Kaiba acknowledge him in such a way. He relaxed hesitantly while keeping his eyes locked onto Kaiba’s. He was angry, that much was clear. But he didn’t immediately try to inflict harm

"Do you know what kind of pain your presence here will cause?" Kaiba's eyes narrowed as he stood back up. "And now what? Did you plan on making things worse?"

What exactly happened between his leaving and now? There was a sinking feeling in his gut. "Kaiba… Is Yugi-?"

Mokuba picked up on it quicker than his brother. "Yugi's fine. He just… won't be expecting this."

"Oh.” He relaxed a fraction. “I see."

"That's putting it mildly, Mokuba.”

"And why do you care, Kaiba?" Atem's confusion overstepped the instinct to stay silent. The words came out harsher than he intended.

But they connected with Kaiba. There was a glare in his eyes. Atem earned himself a backhand, his head snapped to the side before he had time to register any emotion running through the other. "Well, there’s one benefit to you being back.” he said coldly. “You have no idea how long I've waited to be able to do that."

"Seto, stop!"

Jounouchi walked in just in time to witness the after effects of the hit. Kaiba's hand with a spiky head snapped to the side was all that registered in his mind. Protective anger flared. He didn’t need anymore information to react.

He sprinted over to Kaiba and knocked the other away with a deep snarl. "What the Hell are you doing?!"

"Jou?" This was the very last person Atem expected at the Kaiba residence.

And Jou turned, expecting his best friend and instead finding a supposedly dead man cupping his abused cheek. He looked between the three of them. "Alright, someone better start explaining."

The Kaiba brothers looked at Atem. Jou followed their gaze.

Atem dragged in a deep breath. “Very well. Where should I begin?”

“How about the part where you gained your own body.” Kaiba’s eyes narrowed. “This one is yours, right?”

Atem glared at him. “Yes. It’s mine.” His eyes softened. “I...it’s very complicated.”

“Then you better find a way to explain yourself.”

His hand lowered from his cheek slowly. He stared at his hands, studying them. “I... couldn’t find peace in the Afterlife. It was peaceful, yes; everyone from my time was there with me. But...” He reached up as if to grab something hanging from his neck, but there was nothing there. “... I was restless. There was something unfulfilled-”

“Hate to interrupt but first,” Jou gestured to Atem’s form, “How?”

Atem smiled. “Do you remember your Egyptian History, Jounouchi?”

“Not a lick of it, no.”

“I was Pharaoh. To an extent, we were considered lesser gods in our own rights. Not to mention being surrounded by other people with magical abilities. Creating a body was difficult, but not impossible.” His lips tightened. “However, I didn’t take into account the repercussions that came with it. Such as the time of year. Or my nudity.” He looked to the younger Kaiba apologetically.

Mokuba nodded silently and tried to keep it from raising anymore suspicion and anger in his brother.

“I was lucky to find I was nearby, but making it to the game shop proved difficult. I hadn’t considered I would be so tired in body.”

Jou frowned. “Making it wouldn’t have helped you much anyway. Yugi isn’t home. Pegasus has him being the poster-boy for Duel Monsters for the next couple of weeks.”

“There’s a lot of title matches to deal with. They built a convention out of it for the duelists. He might be gone for a month.” Kaiba added.

Atem blinked. “Oh. I see.” He sighed, dejectedly. Well, he couldn’t expect the world to stop just because he was no longer in it. Good for Yugi for continuing on with his life. He wondered how far had he gone. Was it possible he forgot about him after all this time?

“But now that the moron stopped barking-”

“Kaiba, I swear to God...”

“-maybe you can finish telling us why you’re back.”

Atem chuckled. “Right.” He shrugged and looked down at his hands. “As soon as you all disappeared from sight and the connection was severed, something felt... wrong. There in the afterlife, I could only think about what was here and I felt... empty? Numb?” He looked down as he tried to think of the word, then shook his head with a sigh. “It’s hard to explain; as if part of my own heart was missing.”

Everyone listened to him in silence.

“Maybe it’s selfish and I know he has his own life to live. But something felt unfinished. I never truly wanted to leave his side. He... deserves better than anything I could hope to offer. But I would strive to give him the world, if he would have me.” Atem shrugged and smiled sadly. “But I don’t expect you to...” He trailed off as his eyes fell on Jou.

Kaiba crossed his arms and snorted. “You came back here for that? Do you really think anyone will be moved by your petty feelings?”

“Kaiba...” Jou’s shoulders shook as he looked up at the older boy, tears streaming down his face. “We gotta get him to see Yugi.”

Kaiba blinked before he looked at Jou flatly. “You can’t be serious.”

“We can’t fly him out tonight because of the snow storm,” Mokuba readily chimed in, “but if the list of challengers is still as long as Yugi showed us last week, he’ll be there for more than enough time.”

“This is exclusively for duelists. He can’t just show up.”

“Then we’ll enter him. I’m sure Yugi and Pegasus would allow a few last minute challengers if we were the ones insisting! He can take your empty slot, Seto.”

Atem glanced between the two brothers, wondering who would be the first to fold. They stared at one another in silence, challenging one another to continue this.

Finally, the older brother blinked. Kaiba sucked in a deep breath. “Okay, so what? We call them and spill everything on the phone?”

“Nah, Kaiba. Where’s your sense of finesse?” Jou grinned. “We register him under a different name and when we get there, then it gets hinted to Yugi little by little until he pulls off his mask and reveals himself.”

“That’s a horrible idea.”

Jou ignored Kaiba and gave Atem a thumbs up. “Leave it to me. We’ll get you to him in no time.”

Atem’s eyes lit up and he smiled. “Thank you. All of you.”


	3. Yuki

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters are getting progressively longer. And I'm thinking I'm going to aim all updates to be on Friday from now on so we've got a nice schedule for it.  
> Enjoy!

For the events with Pegasus, Yugi pushed aside his emotions and the sensitive conversations with Ryo to allow himself and his challengers to enjoy the game. He was impressed by their skills. Each and every one of them played with enough passion that Yugi was almost sad to defeat them. It was the reason they all came in front of him for their challenge.

He smiled apologetically at their defeats.

Most of them were just happy to be able to get this far. Others would feel as though they were being mocked and would spew out insults as soon as they started to lose.

Had Yugi heard them years ago, he may have gotten upset. Possibly even cried a little. But he knew it was only because their own ego was hurt that they acted as they did. And he would forgive them for that.

He’s dealt with some of the worst when it came to this. He grimaced at the thought of the corruption of the unchecked pride.

With the scheduled battles being over for the day, Yugi walked into one of the back offices to meet up with Pegasus and figure out the next phase. He knew the reason to do this on his estate was more for advertising purposes and less for convenience. Banners advertising new cards and new accessories hung everywhere.

There was even a place for the duelists to test out new Kaiba Corp equipment. Yugi preferred the older duel disk which made Pegasus shake his head in amusement. “You always did have a special place for the older variety.”

He didn’t ask him to elaborate. Even though Pegasus lost the ability to read minds, Yugi knew that whatever he saw for the brief time he was able to see it was still stored in his mind. Which included a few things that would make those words a double entendre.

He stepped into the office to find Pegasus looking at the phone screen. On the other end, he could hear Jou. “So, yeah. You got any room there? We could bunk up if we have to!”

“Well, there have been a few last minute cancellations. Rooms are available.” Pegasus waved Yugi over.

Yugi peeked around to see Jou sitting in front of the screen with Mokuba standing next to him. Kaiba stood behind Jou with his arms crossed. Yugi looked at them flatly. “If you two want to duel, you could just wait until I make it back to Domino. Isn’t that the plan?”

Jou blinked and smiled at Yugi. “Ah, this is actually for a new friend. He really wants to face off against you.”

Yugi frowned at his friend. “Are you sure he’s ready to come here? People fighting for the title can be very competitive.” He looked pointedly at Kaiba. “Maybe even a little too competitive.”

Kaiba sneered and looked away.

“He’ll be able to stand on his own. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one.” Jou grinned and gave the camera a thumbs up. “So register for two, alright?”

Yugi’s frown deepened for a moment. “What about your father, Jou?”

“The old man is fine! He’d rather me be out now anyways.” The grin widened. “Besides, this is more important.”

Yugi didn’t look too sure but he let it be for the time being.

“Oooh, it seems your friends have a little something up their sleeve.” Pegasus grinned widely. “It’ll be interesting to find out what.”

Yugi glanced at Pegasus before looking back at the screen. “I’ll be there to greet you two when you sign in.” He smiled. “It’ll give me a chance to meet your mystery duelist.”

“Right! You got it, Yugi!” Jou’s smile tightened and the Kaiba brothers looked between each other before Mokuba’s eyes darted to something off screen. “We should be there in a couple of days. I won’t hold you up anymore!” With a quick goodbye, Jou switched off the screen. But not before he addressed someone in the same direction Mokuba was looking. “Right! Now to get you-”

Yugi’s curiosity peaked. What was he up to?

Pegasus leaned back and looked at the other. “You look like you could use a rest.”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

Pegasus clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Now now. We can’t have you nodding off in the middle of a duel. Go get some rest.”

“But-”

“I’ll send someone to wake you in a couple of hours. But I can’t have you looking like you haven’t slept in days.”

Yugi sighed and nodded in defeat as he was ushered out of the office. The duels scheduled for today were over anyway and it was true that he hadn’t rested properly since they got here.

Or possibly longer.

He walked to his room, thinking back to the last time he’d been here. It was here that he found out Atem was a separate entity. This was where everything started to spiral out of control.

But it really wasn’t all bad. At least then he had the Other Him.

He walked into his room and dropped onto the bed. He was getting used to waking up and not finding a spirit watching him. Instead, he had silence; him and his thoughts. He didn’t know if he liked it, but it was something he was learning to tolerate. It was dull and reminded him a little too much of his lonely past.

At least that silence would be banished once Jounouchi got here. He was always good at cheering him up. And for a reason he couldn’t quite explain, he was anxious to meet this sudden new ‘friend.’ He wondered where they met. Was he someone from Jou’s gang days trying to get out of that life? That seemed to be the most likely case. Or maybe someone he met when his father was in the hospital.

He wondered what this friend looked like.

Yugi closed his eyes and focused on creating a picture of the new person. A former gangster. Maybe a smoker. Strong but silent if he was standing off to the side when they were on the phone. Maybe even a little camera shy. If he was friends with Jou, he couldn’t be all that bad of a person. Maybe just a little rough around the edges.

He probably had a lot of fighting monsters in his deck. And if Jou said he could stand on his own in these duels, then Yugi could only assume he knew what he was doing. In the end, the mystery duelist in his head wasn’t a man he’d like to meet down a dark alley. While he knew he could probably be almost completely wrong, it did help him coax himself to sleep.

 

After a run to the game shop and a long, enthusiastic conversation with a certain grandfather and a slightly confused mother, Atem was able to build a new deck. He was a little disappointed to find some weren’t as common as he’d hoped, but he did what he could with his options.

Then, after he thought they were ready to go, Jou threw him into some new clothes. He stared at his friend, now fully dressed in his new ‘disguise.’ Large black boots, black pants, black hooded jacket, black gloves, and a black cloth mask that covered the bottom half of his face.

“I look ridiculous.”

“Hey. Last time we saw you, you were wearing a skirt and covered in so much gold I’m pretty sure you doubled in weight. You have no place to be picking on this outfit.”

Atem pulled down his ninja-esque face cover and raised an eyebrow at Jou. “And the point in the disguise again?”

He rolled his eyes and sighed heavily as if the ex-pharaoh just asked about the color of the sky. “You can’t just drop in on Yugi right there. Who knows how he would react!” Jou wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “So we gotta follow the plan. You’ll be the mysterious new duelist that’s appearing out of no where to challenge the King-”

“But I’m not appearing out of no where. I’m your friend.”

“....Who came out of no where! What, you think I keep friends from him?”

He sighed and pulled the hat from his head, his hair immediately popping back into place. “I’m afraid I still don’t understand.”

“C’mon, trust me! Once Yugi is alone you can reveal yourself but first we have to get you in. And to do that, we need to hide anything that’ll give you away. Your hair, face....”

“Voice?” He raised an eyebrow.

Jou paused. He hadn’t considered that one. “I’ll speak for you around Yugi for a while.”

Atem sighed and nodded. “Alright. If this is the way you think I should play this, then let’s do it.”

“That’s the spirit!” Jou grinned widely. “You’ll thank me for this, buddy.”

Atem looked down at the hat in his hands. It was simple and black like the majority of his clothing. Aside from the bright gold sunglasses, he looked like a shadow.

But, Jou insisted. And he had yet to hear any protest from anyone else so maybe there was something to this whole ‘mysterious duelist’ plan.

He forced the hair back into his new hat and looked in the mirror. There was nothing on him that could possibly give him away. His face was completely covered, Everyone made sure to adamantly deny him of anything even remotely resembling a cape, and now he couldn’t speak as to not alert Yugi of one of the more obvious points of his identity.

He still wondered if he was better off just waiting by until Yugi got back.

Each step closer to flying out made him wonder that more and more. Fear and doubt were getting to him a little. But that wasn’t the only feeling and it was far from the most prevalent.

Excitement pooled into his body as he and Jou sat on the plane. He could feel his hands shaking and his heart in his throat. He could feel himself losing nerve but he knew it was too late to back down from this. He was also feeling increasingly impatient. He wanted to see Yugi again, even if he didn’t know it was him right away.

And even if Yugi was content to never see him again, at least he could see him one last time.

“Master Katsuya.” A voice over the intercom cut through his thoughts. “We are approaching the landing zone. This would be the time for you two to get prepared for your departure.”

Atem turned to Jou. “‘Master Katsuya?’”

Jou cleared his throat. “It’s a long story involving Kaiba losing a bet and being a dick about it.” He called back to the pilot. “Uh, thanks.” He quickly changed the subject and looked to Atem. “Get ready. Yugi said he’d meet us when we got in.”

It didn’t take much effort to get into costume, aside from forcing his hair into the hat. Atem was ready long before they landed. It gave him time to compose himself.

As they landed, all Atem could hear was his own heartbeat. He knew Jounouchi had said something to him as well as spoken to the pilot, but the words never registered. His hand groped for the puzzle in search of something to help him. He needed to calm down.

Atem sucked in a few deep breaths.

“Yo. You alright?”

Atem swallowed and nodded. He could handle this.

He immediately froze when they entered the building. There, standing only five feet from the doorway was Yugi.

The King of Games wasn’t much different from the last time they saw one another. He aged but the process was still slow moving. He was still a little baby-faced and his height stopped after only a few centimeters, keeping him shorter than most people. His eyes showed his age clearer than anything. They were still kind, but without the same spark of naivety from the days Atem remembered. His confidence shined through in his stance. He was perfectly in his element and everyone around him could tell. Even with the tired look in his eyes, no one could argue he was a person who knew much more than he could ever tell.

It was the smile that really caught Atem. While he did look happy to see his best friend, something about it seemed reserved. Not nearly as carefree as before. “It’s good to see you, Jounouchi.”

Atem hadn’t even realized Jou had moved to pull Yugi into a big hug. “How you been, pal?”

“Great!” The smile grew, warmth returning in drips. “There are a lot of really strong duelists here.”

“Well, they’d have to be to challenge you!” Jounouchi released Yugi, his arm sliding around his shoulders and he pulled the boy into a headlock.

The smaller boy laughed softly. “I guess.” He turned his head to look at the person standing next to the door. “And you must be Jou’s friend.” He trotted up to Atem and offered his hand. “I’m Yugi Mutou. I look forward to seeing you duel.”

If Atem hadn’t already been told Jou wold speak for him, it wouldn’t matter. There were no words that could possibly come out of his mouth right now. He gently took Yugi’s hand, fighting the urge to just pull the boy into his arms and never let go. He was more beautiful than he remembered.

“Oh! Right! Yugi, this is...” Jou looked at Atem in slight panic. “Y...Yu....ki. Yeah, Yuki Fudo!” He grinned at Yugi. “He’s a bit shy. Not much of a talker.”

“Alright then, Yuki. It’s nice to meet you!” Yugi’s lip twitched. Yuki didn’t look at all like he imagined. He wasn’t the towering figure of a former gangster. In fact, when Yugi looked at Yuki, he immediately felt at home. Despite not truly knowing what the new duelist looked like under all his covers. It was just something else to spark his curious mind. “Unfortunately, you’ll need to go through a few things before we have our duel. We have a duelist who ranked to test out your skills to make sure your qualify.” Yugi pulled his hand out of Atem’s grip. “Sadly, if you lose then you’ll be sent home.”

“That early?!” Jou cried out.

“It wouldn’t be fair to just let him in, Jou. The only reason you don’t have to do this is because you already rank third in the country. Yuki doesn’t have any records.” Yugi headed deeper into the castle and the two followed.

“But..But...” He looked at Atem helplessly.

“Don’t worry. If he doesn’t place this year, we can duel when I get back to Domino and maybe he can be ranked for next year.” He looked back at Atem with a kind smile. “But I have a feeling that won’t be necessary.” He turned toward the door leading inside. “Come on. I’ll introduce you to your opponent.”

They walked into a large room where many of the duelists were hanging out. When they entered, everyone stopped to look at Yugi, eyes following him. There were hushed whispers about him and the people trailing behind, as well as a few about Jounouchi.

It seemed word spread fast.

Yugi stopped in front of a large man with black hair held back by a white headband. He looked down at the small duelist then to his two companions. Yugi gestured to him and looked at Atem. “Yuki, this is Goro. He agreed to be the one to duel you when you’re ready.” He stepped out of the way to allow the two to shake hands.

No words were exchanged. Atem didn’t like the feel of this man, but he had little say in this.

Yugi looked up to a large observation window where Pegasus stood. He calmly tapped his wrist causing Yugi to sigh softly. “I must be off now.” He bowed deeply. “I wish you the best of luck in your duel. I’ll see you later, Jou. Yuki.” And, with a quick turn, he was off.

As soon as Yugi was gone, Goro spoke. “I hope you’re as good as they think you are. Otherwise, this’ll be a giant waste of my time.”

“I’m sure I can make it entertaining for you. I would hate to be a disappointment.” He growled the words at his opponent.

Jou took that opportunity to stop them. He put his hand on Atem’s shoulder. “Let’s get settled before your duel.” He glanced up. “Give the guy a little time to get prepared.”

Atem nodded. “Right.” He turned away. “I’ll be back.” No matter how he tried to be calm, the words came out of his mouth like a threat. He stormed away with Jou at his side, vaguely aware of the eyes still on him.

It took less than an hour for him to get settled. And once he did, Atem returned to Goro ready to duel. If he wanted a chance to speak to Yugi while they were here, it seemed this would be the only way.

Goro led him to a large balcony outside of the duelist common area. The snow had already been cleared from it, but that didn’t do anything to stop the freezing winds. It seemed Goro was comfortable with it, which put Atem at a slight disadvantage.

While Atem was a little rusty, it took him only a few moves to get back into the swing of things. During that time, he fell a little behind and the chill did little to help. It reminded him of the day he was staggering through Domino. But none of that lasted long. Especially when he noticed all the eyes watching them duel.

Including those of Yugi.

It spurred him on. Even if the boy wasn’t directly at his side, he felt calmer. And he knew he would win.

After four more moves, Goro was defeated. A minute later, the giant man snapped. “You cheat! You think you can come in here and defeat me?!” He grabbed hold of Atem and shoved him back, his glasses knocked off his face. He didn’t have much time to react as he was lifted off his feet. “I’ll show you what happens to guys who get cocky with Goro!” Atem was practically thrown over the balcony. As he went over, he saw Jounouchi charge out and tackle Goro.

He gripped the edge of the bannister, but the ice made it nearly impossible to hang on. If he tried to pull himself up now, he would undoubtably lose what little grip he had and fall. And from the commotion above, Jou was having trouble with Goro. He wanted to help Jou in some way but he lacked the ability to even help himself. Without the puzzle, he was sure there was very limited access to his previous powers, if there was any access at all. Even if he did, he didn’t know how to summon them now without any practice.

This was a rather short lived life.

As his fingers slipped, his eyes shut to prepare for the inevitable fall. But then he felt something grip his forearm and wrist like a vice. He immediately gripped back and looked up to find Yugi holding him. He blinked.

The other smiled in response, looking a bit relieved himself. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.” Slowly, Yugi pulled him up to where Atem could get a proper grip.

He stumbled up and stepped away from the bannister, his knees threatening to buckle. Yugi kept a hand on his back to offer support.

“You’re disqualified.” Yugi glared darkly at Goro. “I won’t tolerate this behavior.”

Goro balked. “You can’t do this! I placed in the top ten!” At this time, he was covered in cuts and bruises thanks to his fight with Jounouchi. Somewhere along the way, Jou received a few bruises and possibly a dislocated arm.

“Apparently I can. I just did.” Yugi let out a growl that made Atem proud. “You will not be dueling for this title while I hold it. You have one hour to get your things and leave before security forces you out. And believe me when I say they won’t be as kind as I am.”

Goro stood up to his full height and glared down at them.

Yugi glared right back and positioned himself in front of Atem and Jou. He’s dealt with these people all his life; he wasn’t about to let someone step all over his friends again.

All eyes were on them. After a moment, Goro turned and walked away with a sneer. All of the spectators watched as he stormed through, careful to get out of his way.

Once he was out of sight, Yugi looked to Jou seriously. “There’s a doctor here if you need someone to look at your arm.”

Jou grinned. “Nah, this is nothing. You know I’ve been through worse!”

That lightened Yugi’s demeanor slightly. He picked up the sunglasses and turned to Atem. “Well, congratulations on your ranking. After what I just witnessed, a duel against you should be a real challenge.” He looked him right in the eye and smiled. “You shouldn’t cover your eyes. They’re nice. Very wise.”

His face heated up as he gingerly took the glasses. “Th-thank you.”

Jou looked at Atem incredulously.

Yugi didn’t seem to notice the look. He just stared blankly as the voice hit his ears. There was a spark of recognition. “You’re welcome. Yuki.” He looked up a little and the smile widened. “Your hair’s trying to escape.”

Atem’s hand immediately flew up to tuck away the rebellious blond locks. As Jou and Yugi walked back inside, Atem fell behind and took a moment to recompose himself.

“You know, I really wish you’d go see the doctor.”

“C’mon, man, trust me! I can pop it back in no sweat.” There were a few seconds of grunting and ‘ow’s before Jou looked back at Yugi and sighed. “Alright, fine. I’ll see your stupid doctor.”

 


	4. Secrets and Reunions

 

The medical wing consisted of one large office and a couple of small rooms. With this many people occupying such a space, it helped to be prepared. Especially considering Pegasus was well aware of the dangers that usually came when Yugi and his friends were involved.

Yugi and Atem waited outside the office for Jou as they looked over all his wounds and his arm. Atem would steal glances at Yugi only to find the other was staring directly at him every time.

There were questions in his eyes but none of them came forth. Yugi was content for a while to just watch and study the new duelist. He didn’t even seem to notice he was staring. He spoke after a long drag of silence. “You know, for someone who’s such a gifted duelist, you’d think I would’ve heard of you before.”

Atem glanced at him again.

Yugi shrugged. “I just find it strange. How you appeared out of no where.” He leaned a little closer until they were almost touching. “I wonder about your story.”

He wasn’t given much more time to wonder as Jou came back out. With his arm now in a sling, he smiled at the two. “Hey, I’m gonna borrow Yuki for a minute, okay?” Neither of them were given time to respond as Jou grabbed a hold of Atem and dragged him into one of the medical rooms and slammed the door shut behind them.

Yugi frowned and curiously stood by the door. He knew it wasn’t right to pry, but something told him he’d want to hear this.

“...Believe you spoke to him!” Jou hissed.

“He saved my life. Was I supposed to just stand there silently?” The voice was so pleasantly familiar to Yugi. It pulled a small shiver of pleasure down his spine. He wanted to say who it sounded like, but was afraid to allow himself to even think something like that. “Did you not say something about dropping hints?” It couldn’t be him, could it?

“There’s a difference between ‘dropping hints’ and ‘dropping the ball!’”

“What would be the harm in telling him now?” The voice practically whined.

“We’re waiting for the perfect moment, remember? It’ll be better when he’s not in the middle of public. Trust me, man.” As he heard Jou’s voice get louder, he backed away from the door in a hurry.

From behind Jou, Yugi could see their new friend rolling his eyes. It made him smile; whatever it was ‘Yuki’ wanted to say, he was not content to wait. “You two must be hungry. Come on. Let’s go grab something to eat.”

“Yeah, I’m starved!” Jou looked to Atem.

Atem looked at him flatly and tapped his cloth covered lips. His eyes narrowed when all he got was a helpless shrug and a sheepish smile from his friend.

Yugi pretended not to notice. In one fluid instinctual motion, Yugi’s hand found Atem’s. He led him through the halls without another word.

Atem squeezed the hand with a soft smile.

The mess hall was once again full of duelists. But here, no one was surprised to see Yugi walking through. Off to the sides were men in suits along with Pegasus standing by, sipping wine.

When they made eye contact, Yugi gave him a nod and Pegasus raised his glass in acknowledgement. Both of which were given little more than small glances from the other duelists.

“Lots of people here.” Jou mumbled. “Think any of them have what it takes to de-throne you?”

Yugi grinned as they grabbed their food and headed to sit down among the other duelists. “Only time will tell!” He sat next to Atem and glanced at the other, noticing the lack of food. “Aren’t you hungry?”

He shot Jou a look, again forgetting about his apparent shyness. “It would appear I’m fasting.” He should consider not trusting Jounouchi in this decision, but he did have a point. They were in the middle of a public area where almost everyone was glancing over at them. If he wanted Yugi to have the freedom to react however he must, this was not the place.

Jou smiled apologetically at Atem. “Y-yeah. He’s... weird like that.”

Yugi chuckled. “You’re a stronger man than I.”

Atem smiled back. “I highly doubt that.”

Yugi blinked as they made eye contact again, a soft smile gracing his lips and taking over his face. He didn’t say anything, but his body slowly began to lean closer to Atem’s before he seemed to catch himself and turn to his own meal.

Atem just listened to Jou and Yugi talk about life back home. In the couple of years he’d been gone, Anzu had found an opportunity to study abroad. She still called Yugi to keep in contact a few times a week. According to the small duelist, she was doing very well for herself. Jou told Yugi about Honda throwing himself into his studies, apparently going to far as to skip meals and sleep.

By the sound of it, Jou seemed a little worried his old friend might be overdoing it.

Something about the situation felt nice. Even though he wasn’t participating, it felt as though they were back in Burger World where Jou and Yugi would just hang out. It was simpler.

But back then, neither of them knew where to look when it came to Atem. For a while, neither of them were positive he even existed. He hadn’t been positive of his existence. A simpler time, maybe. But possibly just as strange.

They included him into the conversation, but all Atem could think to do was nod and throw in a few words. Yugi continued to look at him, his eyes lingering with questions that each movement from Atem seemed to answer.

As the meal ended, Yugi was pulled away for another duel by a man in a suit. The same man gave Jounouchi and Atem their placements so they knew when it was their turn to duel Yugi themselves. After that, the two were left on their own. They stayed in the common room with the other duelists.

A lot of people approached Jounouchi themselves to ask for pictures and autographs. A few even asked him to look through their decks and tell them if they were really ready to face off against the King of Games.

“Kid, you gotta have confidence in your abilities.” He handed the deck back to the kid. “Your cards are on point, you just have to trust yourself. If you don’t, you won’t stand a chance.”

The kid frowned. “You think?”

“I know. C’mon, how do you think I got where I am? Sure as Hell wasn’t from doubting myself!” His chest puffed out proudly. He reminded Atem of a bird. A strutting peacock.

The former pharaoh smiled at the thought.

“Well, it’s about time we saw some new blood here.” The voice was like a purr in his ear. He turned to see a young woman smiling at him. Her clothing was form fitting around her curvy body. Her lips were painted a deep red.

“New blood?” Atem tilted his head a little.

“You, silly Mr. Fudo.” She moved in closer. “I’ve never seen you around before.”

“I’ve been away.” For too long.

She laughed. “I’ll bet. But you’re pretty skilled. Maybe a little later we can have a... duel ourselves. In my room.”

He frowned. “What’s wrong with doing it here in the common room?”

She paused, then laughed. “It would seem I’m a little more shy than you!” She smacked his ass and caused him to jolt. “Maybe I’ll find you and stop by later tonight?” She didn’t wait for an answer before she walked away.

Atem watched her walk away, perplexed by the interaction. He turned to see Jounouchi staring at him before he looked back at her retreating form. “You okay?”

Slowly, he nodded. “Yes, I’m fine.” Confused but still alive. The girl was harmless despite her strange inability to play Duel Monsters out in the open. He had to wonder how she got so far as to rank and be able to challenge Yugi.

She didn’t make any other appearance to them for the rest of the night. As they talked and played with a few of the other duelists, it got late and many people started to head out of the common room and to their own for the night. It was then that the two followed suit.

Atem bid Jou good night before heading down the hall to his room. Finally alone with his thoughts, he considered the events of the day. Day one has passed and he didn’t want to wait anymore. Had he lost that duel, he could have shown Yugi then. But instead, Jou insisted on all of this being poorly timed. While he could see his point, it didn’t make it any easier knowing that he would have to listen. He sighed and opened the door to his room.

Where his former partner sat on his bed.

He held his breath for a moment and just stared at Yugi as he walked into the room and pulled the door shut. The eyes stared back at him intently, seriously. It made his stomach flutter and his mind freeze.

Yugi crossed his arms and nodded over to a little table that occupied the room. “I brought you some food just in case you’re ‘fasting’ ends,” he smiled like he knew something, “Yuki.”

“T-thank you. That’s very kind of you.” Atem thought Yugi would leave then.

But when he stood up and walked closer, He moved in a way that mirrored Atem and made it impossible to pass him. Atem found his back against the door and the other didn’t attempt to get around him. Yugi tilted his head. “There’s something about you I can’t quite put my finger on.” His breath hitched as Yugi reached up and touched his concealed lips. “I’d like to figure it out, if you’re willing to indulge me.”

“Yugi...I...”

Yugi hooked a finger into the cloth and the mask was pulled down to Atem’s neck. “I have a question for you.”

“Anything...”

He reached up and yanked off the hat. “How long were you planning on keeping this a secret?”

Atem froze as his hair sprung free and he realized he was completely exposed. His thoughts stumbled. How long did he know? He knew he should’ve told him long before! “Yugi, I- I’m sorry! I swear I didn’t mean to...” A gentle hand on his cheek silenced him. He looked at the other with wide eyes, all his fear and tension dissolving by the soft touch.

Yugi smiled and tears welled up in his eyes. “You’re so warm...”

Atem wasn’t far behind. Everything about Yugi right then reminded him just how far he’s been and how long it’s been since they were this close. His hand came up to touch the one on his cheek. He pulled it over and pressed the palm to his lips, squeezing his eyes shut and allowing the tears to roll free. “I’ve missed you.” Suddenly, Yugi was in his arms, tightly secured in his grip where Atem hoped he would never have to let go. “I’ve missed you so much.”

They sank and slid down the door without letting go. Yugi was on Atem’s lap, legs straddling the pharaoh’s body as he held him. “Please. Tell me this is forever and you won’t leave again.”

“Never. Never again.” He spoke softly and nuzzled against Yugi’s hair. “I’m staying with you, Partner. Always.”

With little warning, Yugi planted a soft kiss on Atem’s lips. It caused the pharaoh’s eyes to snap open and stare as Yugi pulled back a few inches.

With a little hesitation, Atem returned the favor and pulled Yugi back in to continue where he left off. As soon as they were back on it, Yugi deepened the kiss with more need, his hands running down Atem’s chest. He pulled back a little and spoke around small kisses. “You’ll have to,” kiss, “explain to me,” kiss, “how you managed this.”

Atem nodded and broke away one last time. “Later.” He immediately returned to their make out session. His hands rested on Yugi’s hips as the other explored his form, giving him full control. His hand worked its way under the shirt, caressing the naked skin and learning the new body.

Then there was a knock on the door. “Hey, Atem. I think you have one of my little bags.”

Yugi pulled back and covered the smile forming on his lips as Atem became noticeably flustered. “One moment, Jou.” He looked at Yugi. “I need to get up.”

Jou heard a hushed laugh from someone who wasn’t Atem on the other side of the door and blink in confusion. He wasn’t alone in that room. It could be that girl from before. She did say something about trying to meet up with Atem later. But Atem wouldn’t do anything with her, right? His thoughts were only ever on Yugi and there was no way he would knowingly do anything to hurt him.

Unless she was trying to take advantage of him. Jounouchi narrowed his eyes. No, he couldn’t have that! Not while he had the ability to stop it. He needed to scare her off, for both of his friends! Jounouchi pulled the door open roughly before they could move. “Hey! What’s going on in here?!”

Atem fell back and smacked the back of his head against the stone floor, causing him to see stars for a moment. Yugi was still on his lap. His hand was gripping the front of Atem’s shirt as if to pull it back into position.

Yugi and Jou made eye contact. “Uh... Yuki! You’re Atem? What a surprise!” He feigned shock and brought his hands up to his head.

Atem groaned and looked up at their friend. “....did you check the side pocket of your suitcase?”

Jou looked between the two for a moment and took in the sight of what he just interrupted. Both of them had drying tears in their faces, but it was clear by the position those were not tears of sorrow or anger.

He looked at Yugi and fought the urge to laugh as his fake surprise. Despite being caught in a rather intimate situation, Yugi’s tension and tiredness had all but disappeared. It was a piece all of them wanted to try and fix but could never figure it out. It turned out they didn’t have the right tools.

He grinned at them. “Yeah, but that’s okay.” He knelt down and pushed Atem back into a sitting position. “I’ll see you two in the morning! Sleep well!” He shut the door back into place, all the while ignoring the stunned looks on their faces.

Jou leaned against the wall and let out a deep breath. “Well, that didn’t take long.”

On the other side of the door, he could hear the two laughing awkwardly before it was slowly silenced. Probably by whatever it is that Jou interrupted.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and headed back to his room with a smile. At least he’d have some fun teasing them about this tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bet ya guys were expecting to be waiting a lot longer for the reveal, weren't ya?  
> Don't worry, though. Things aren't quite done yet!


	5. The Other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slight lateness of this chapter. There's a lot of corrections to take care of so their is the possibility of me being a little slower than I would've hoped.
> 
> On the upside, More characters are going to be introduced! We may also find a few other ships in our waters in upcoming chapters! Any suggestions? I love suggestions!
> 
> For now, I hope you enjoy!

 

Yugi spent the entire night in Atem’s room, doing everything to show how much he appreciated everything he went through in order to get back. And if the sleeping whimpers were any indication, Yugi would say it was plenty.

They were few throughout the night that woke Yugi. He would have to ask about it later.

Before the sun had a chance to rise, an alarm went off in Yugi’s pocket. He grunted and sighed. He wanted nothing more than to stay here, curled in the warmth of Atem’s arms.

But duty called. He wasn’t here to spend his time in bed with the pharaoh. Although, he wished he could.

Yugi carefully and reluctantly pulled himself out of the embrace to grab his pants and his phone. He had one hour until he needed to meet with Pegasus and run through the day’s schedule. That gave him enough time to return to his room and get cleaned up.

He pulled on his clothes and looked back at Atem to find bleary eyes on him. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. “Why are you awake so early?”

Yugi took a moment to take in the look of Atem. While he was the unnamed spirit, there was never a hair out of place and a wisdom that was dangerous. Granted, most of that had to do with being a mysterious spirit with little to no memories. As a Pharaoh, he was wild in looks but still held an unearthly grace to him that no one could deny. Something that came from bring brought up by royalty or possible a carry over from when he was a spirit. He would never know.

The Atem he saw in front of him now held similar qualities to both, but there was something else Yugi would’ve liked to see earlier. It was a human quality he couldn’t quite place. A beautiful flaw that finally brought him down to Earth in a space where Yugi could reach him without fear.

He leaned back in and planted a kiss on Atem’s lips. “Early duels. You don’t have to be up yet.”

“Mmm.” He closed his eyes again. He wanted to drag the boy back into bed, but knew Yugi would just have to get up again. So he just sat up and pouted instead. “If you told me you had to be awake this early, I wouldn’t have forced you to stay up so late.”

The duelist laughed softly. “Like you had a say in that.” He smiled at the pharaoh. “I’ll find you and Jou later. Go back to sleep.”

Atem grunted and laid back down, watching Yugi leave as his eyes grew heavier and he slipped back into the dream world.

It didn’t take him long to realize ‘sleep’ was not going to be an easy task from this point forward. A memory from the Afterlife stuck out. One where he was looking for a way to return to the living.

“There are ways to return, My Pharoah.” Mahad frowned and crossed his arms. “However the trials on your soul will be worse than sealing yourself in the Millennium Puzzle. It may even completely destroy you.”

Atem thought about it for a while. His soul had already been through so much. Torn to shreds several times only to be pieced back together. Would that ultimately make him strong enough for this, or would it finally be the finishing blow?

“If I do survive, will I retain all my memories?”

Mahad nodded.

“And Yugi. Will he be put in harm’s way in any form?”

Mahad blinked, confused. “Well, no. Your actions here should not have any direct effect over his soul.”

Atem nodded. “Then please, Mahad. Tell me what I must do.”

Mahad smiled sadly at his pharaoh and placed a hand on Atem’s shoulder. “I cannot help you any further, my friend. This journey is yours alone.” The hand didn’t move, pressure adding more and more as Atem realized it Mahad became stone.

He looked up to see a haunting image of a grinning Mahad, blood oozing from the corners of his mouth and eyes down onto the pharaoh’s nose and cheek.

Atem was startled by the image and immediately pulled back. The grip on his shoulder didn’t loosen, causing the stone to crack. The sounds echoed as the stone statue fell apart, crumbled, and collapsed at Atem’s feet.

He felt very cold as the stone shattered to pieces. “M..Mahad?” He knelt down and picked up pieces of his old friend. He found no life left in them.

But he wasn’t left much time to mourn. A searing pain shot through his mind as thousands of voices screamed to him. He covered his ears and stood up then stumbled back into a wall.

He looked up as the screaming stopped and left him in a silent room with nothing but black void. The silence was no more pleasing to his ears than the screams. Then something unseen illuminated the area, showing him the shape of a very small room.

As light pooled in, the pharaoh was face to face with himself. But it wasn’t him. This one was paler. He was in Yugi’s school uniform, third eye glowing and illuminating him just enough to see. There was a smile on the other’s lips that made him felt like a trapped rabbit. This version of him was torn, sadistic and downright insane.

The other stepped closer and Atem pressed his back flush against the wall, wishing in that instance he could melt in and be safe from this mirror image.

“A proper sacrifice must be made for this Game.” The eye glowed brighter as the smile spread. “Prepare yourself... Other Me.”

A stabbing pain in his midsection forced Atem awake with a yelp. For a moment, he was thrown off by the change in scenery but within seconds everything flooded back. The sun was up now and he wasn’t alone in his room.

Jou stared at him with wide eyes, half eaten sandwich in one hand and Atem’s bag in the other. “You okay there? You were thrashing a little.”

Atem nodded and ran a shaky hand through his hair. “Yeah, I’m... I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine. You look like you just saw a ghost.”

“Just a nightmare, nothing more.” He eyed Jou. “Are you still looking for your things?”

Jou chuckled and put down the bag. “Y-yeah. Probably should’ve knocked. But hey! Now that you’re up, you can help me find them!”

Atem looked at Jou flatly. “You have to leave for a moment.”

“Why?”

“I’m nude.”

Jou’s face turned bright red, then nearly purple when he noticed the clothing scattered. “Yeah. Yeah, shoulda figured that. Um,” he walked to the door, “let me know when its safe.”

Atem couldn’t help but laugh as the door shut behind the boy.

 

The morning run throughs were typically very quick. It was only to find who dropped out, who was beaten, and the opponents contained through the day. It also gave everyone the chance to be sure the technology was up to date for all of the players.

Yugi’s presence was only needed to be sure he knew the numbers and names of the next opponents; having the ability to oversee everything else was simply a way to make sure he understood everything overall. So when his phone rang, it wasn’t a huge deal for Yugi to step out into the hall and take the phone call.

Anzu’s name popped up on the caller ID. Yugi smiled to himself as he answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Is that who I think it is?!” She practically screamed into the phone. “You can’t just send me a picture in the middle of class labeled ‘look who’s back!’ I nearly freaked out right there!”

Yugi pulled the phone away from his ear in surprise at the scream then brought it back and chuckled. “I’m sorry, Anzu. I just thought you’d like to know.”

“Of course I’d like to know! It’s just...” She sighed. “I wish I was home to see you two.”

“When’s your next break?”

“I won’t be able to get back until Summer.” He could hear the frown in her voice.

Yugi leaned against the wall. “Maybe we can fly out and visit after we get back to Domino. I’m sure Atem would like to see you too.”

“Yeah. That would be nice. I can show you around the city again, now that I know where I’m going.” She paused, then came back with a smile in her tone. “But I have a feeling you’d rather stay in a hotel than the dorm.”

“...Wh-what makes you say that?”

“Oh, nothing really. I just notice he’s sleeping without a shirt.” Her tone then morphed into something Yugi would expect more out of Jounouchi. “Is it safe to assume that trend continues lower?”

“I shouldn’t have sent you that picture....” Yugi’s face heating up. He looked down in attempt to hide it from anyone passing. Out of all his friends, he expected this sort of comment from Anzu least of all.

“Yeah, but you did. And I’m gonna take your avoidance as a yes.” She sighed softly and spoke dreamily. “It’s such a beautiful ending. Now you two have to get married!”

Yugi’s face brightened. “What.... We.... I... Anzu!”

“You can have Jounouchi up there as your Best Man, but I call Maid of Honor! Don’t think you can get away with me not being up there with you!”

“Stop planning my wedding!”

“Are you telling me you haven’t already thought about it?”

“He... He just came back. I wasn’t expecting him to be alive.” He kicked his foot against the floor as his face heated even more. “We’ve got a lot of other things to discuss before something like that.”

Anzu was silent for a moment. “I’m sure they’re details that aren’t that hard to work out.”

“Well, most of them.” Yugi looked over to see Pegasus peeking out in the hall. “Anzu, I have to go. I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Okay. Give him a big kiss for me!”

“Yeah, okay. Uh, bye!” He cut the line then.

Anzu stared at her phone for a couple of minutes as people walked past her without a glance. She leaned against a building and looked up at the evening sky. She did love Atem and Yugi. She knew in her heart of hearts she always would in some fashion.

But love was something that could vary on its own scale. Her affections shifted the day Yugi won that duel. She watched her childhood friend collapse and cry in a manner she’d never seen before. After years of helping fight away bullies and cheering him up, she thought she’d seen every side of Yugi. From his darkest moments to his lightest, she knew him like the back of her hand.

But she’d been wrong. She’s seen him sad. This wasn’t just plain sadness; he was in distress. And even as she watched him rub away the tears and give the departing pharaoh a big smile, she watched him silently get torn apart by the heartbreak that filled him.

And now, years later, Yugi hadn’t forgotten that day. But clearly, neither did Atem. He did what was previously considered impossible just to be back with Yugi. Something Anzu didn’t know if she could even fathom. She may love both Yugi and Atem, but her feelings may as well be a glowing ember outside the howling inferno that encompassed them.

She closed her eyes and remembered the phone call she just had with her friend. Embarrassed was definitely the best way to describe Yugi’s reaction but she could hear much more than that. He was re-energized. Delighted. So overjoyed by the return of his partner that he didn’t think of the implications of sending that picture.

She was so happy for her friend she could cry. And as she pushed off that building and walked down the city streets, she planned her place in the wedding that embarrassed Yugi and thought about what she would say when she finally got the ability to see Atem herself.

The pharaoh better take good care of that kid. If he hurt him again, she would summon a whole world of pain unlike anything they’ve ever faced. But she knew without a shred of doubt Yugi’s heart was in capable hands.

 


	6. Landlord

A few large screens kept everyone updated on the battles and broadcasted the live feed of current duel with the King of Games. Atem could tell by everyone around him this put Yugi at a grave disadvantage. Other duelist tried to memorize him moves and figure out his weak points to then exploit in their own duels.

But maybe that was the point. Yugi proved with each move that he was King for a reason. And those who watched the battles looked on nervously.

Atem smiled up at the screen containing the battle between the two duelists. He knew Yugi could do it.

An arm wrapped around Atem’s neck and he was suddenly pulled into Jou’s grip. “Remembering last night?” He grinned.

Atem blinked and looked away with an embarrassed cough. “It... actually hadn’t crossed my mind.” He was quick to change the subject. “Why did Kaiba not join us? Is he ill?”

“Heh, nah. Work is his excuse, but I think it might have something to do with the person running the tournament. Also, he doesn’t think Yugi would lose the title here.” Jou deepened his voice mockingly, “if he does, he doesn’t deserve the title anyway.”

Atem looked at him flatly. “So, he really hasn’t changed.”

“If you win, he might flip.”

“Hmm.” He looked back up at the screen. “I don’t think he’ll have to worry.”

They watched the battle in silence as the people around them asked questions loudly and in panic.

“Did anyone see how he did that?!”

“Did he just nod to the Black Magician?”

“How? I tried that combination once and it did nothing for me!”

“....maybe I’m better off going home and traveling to Domino later for a personal challenge. I don’t think I’m ready for this.”

All of them spoke like students who didn’t study hard enough. Sure, it was possible one of them would win the title, but they lack the belief they would keep it for long. He looked up again at the screen to see Yugi smiling apologetically as his opponent’s life points hit zero. He looked so relaxed and perfectly knowledgeable that made it clear why he was the one winning. But there was still a compassion there for his fellow duelist. Without saying a word, he gave the impression of caring that the other lost.

And in response the kid that lost stood up a little straighter and sighed softly to herself. “Maybe next time...”

“Maybe.” He grinned at her. “You’re definitely skilled!”

Yugi was a proper king. The thought made Atem smile softly.

Jou snorted and brought Atem back into a headlock. “C’mon, you sap. Just looking at you is giving me a toothache.” He pulled the former pharaoh away from the screens. “Let’s see what kind of cards and stuff Pegasus is pushing this time.”

Down the hall from the common room were several different rooms holding tables and booths containing cards from some of the rarest to the newest creations, along with many new pieces of technology supplied by Kaiba Corp and merchandise as well as a few other games. The rooms were already full of people in different stages of shopping.

Jou walked in and chuckled. “Lot of impressive stuff, eh Ate-?” He looked next to him to find he was now talking to a space of dead air where Atem used to be. He looked around and found him quickly thanks to the large tuft of spiky hair.

Jou shook his head and followed. The more things change the more they stay the same.

Atem was already up at a card table, looking over everything they had on display.

The vendor grinned as more customers approached. “Everything here is registered and able to be used in your duels against the King. So be sure to get them before your number is up!”

Jou crossed his arms and snorted. “Sneaky. Get their money before they get discouraged.” He looked over the cards. Many of them were very powerful but also pretty high in price. Jou looked up at the guy knowingly. “Lot of suckers out here, aren’t there?”

The vendor scoffed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t know what I’m talking about? These cards are twice as much as they would be anywhere else!”

“Hey, I don’t set the prices. That’s the way it works around here.”

“Will you accept trades?”

Jou looked over at Atem incredulously. The vender just smirked at the young duelist and turned to Atem. “Why yes we do. What can I do for you, sir?”

Jou sighed helplessly as his friend talked to the vender. There was no excuse; Atem definitely knew the value of currency so it would be his own fault he was ripped off. But he also knew Atem knew these cards better than most.

The vendor looked skeptical. “Are you really sure?”

Atem nodded.

The man sighed. “Alright. Here you go..” He held out the card. “No offense, but you’re going to lose.”

Atem nodded and took the card. “Yes, but at least with this, I stand a chance.”

“If you say so, buddy.”

As the two walk away, Jou makes sure to make faces at the vendor. Atem doesn’t notice, happily thinking of a strategy and off in his own little world.

So much so that he doesn’t notice the small group that was approaching them. “Hey! You’re Jounouchi Katsuya, right?”

Jou turned and frowned. “Who wants to know?”

“You’re the third highest ranking duelist in the world! You’re a legend!” The little kid hopped up and down in front of Jou.

“And you’re Yuki Fudo, right? The one I talked to yesterday.” Atem didn’t realize she was there until she was standing right next to him. She grinned at him widely, her hands on her hips as she scanned his face. “I almost didn’t recognize you without your mask. Sick of hiding your face?”

Atem put his card away. “I was to protect my identity for the day, is all.”

“Well, it’s nice to see that no longer holds true. Say, my new friend and I could use a few... dueling tips. Care to help us out?” She moved closer, into Atem’s personal space.

Atem backed up a little in confusion. “I can’t see the harm.”

The girl surprised him by hooking her arm around his. “Cool! Maybe you can meet us up at my room later?”

Jou blinked up from his little fan meet and greet. The room was suddenly very cold.

A clearing throat caused the man to turn around and face a smile Yugi. Even the stranger could tell that smile was tense, much more so than the smile of being awkwardly caught off guard by a fan. “Sorry, but I’m afraid I’m going to need to steal my partner back. You understand, don’t you?”

“’Partner?’” The woman echoed and looked back at Atem. “Wait, you and....?” Everything clicked in her head.

“Yugi?” The name ended in a surprised gasp as Yugi grabbed his hand and dragged him away from the other two.

Jou blinked and handed the kid the card he was signing. “Nice to meet ya, kid. Keep at it!” He gave the boy a little wave and chased after his two friends, leaving them standing by in confusion.

Atem frowned as he was led away. The grip, while not unwanted, was tighter than he would expect. “Yugi, is everything...?”

Yugi turned and looked at him for a moment, his eyes searching the features of Atem’s face. He stopped walking and just stared which only added to the pharaoh’s confusion. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but none of them were spoken.

Instead, Yugi just pressed his head into Atem’s chest and sighed softly. Atem had a scent now. It was something light and spicy Yugi couldn’t quite place. His mind just registered it under ‘Atem.’ He liked it. “I’m glad you took off your disguise.”

Atem blinked and scratched his cheek. “Oh, um, yes. There wasn’t a use for it anymore since...” He then heard a noise like light snoring and realized Yugi’s full weight was being pressed against him.

It wasn’t hard to hold him up. Atem simply wasn’t expecting it.

“Jeez, how long did you keep him up last night?” Jou frowned and tilted his head.

Atem blushed and lifted Yugi carefully. “He told me he was fine this morning.” He mumbled.

“Eh, that’s Yugi for ya.” Jou smiled at him. “Should probably get him to bed now though.”

Atem nodded and carefully lifted the boy. There must be more than one night’s exhaustion in this.

 

Ryo’s apartment was a quiet place. It was big enough to occupy three people, possibly even four. But with his father away most of the time it left him alone.

Many people didn’t understand the difference between being lonely and being alone. They often confused the two and tried to make him feel better by showering him with attention. But he rarely needed it.

It wasn’t so bad being alone. It gave him plenty of time to catch up on everything that happened while he was.... indisposed. And with Yugi’s frequent visits along with his other friends, it was okay. He didn’t really feel lonely that much anymore.

He was content.

But there was something inside of him that wished there was something more than content. He looked up from the book his eyes were simply scanning and looked to his side. There was no spirit hanging over him; he should be used to that by now. But he wasn’t.

No matter how many things he did wrong, Ryo could never find it in him to call Bakura evil. He knew the extent of his rage. It terrified him. But the grave robber had his good points. And with a little more time, Ryo was almost certain he could figure out how to get the other to let go of his rage. Because more than anything, the thief king had been in extreme pain. It would take a long time, but there was hope he could eventually heal.

Yugi always looked at him skeptically at that. The shorter vessel was always ready to point out all they saw. And there was no doubt if Yugi wasn’t willing to give Bakura the benefit of the doubt, no one was.

But they didn’t know how he was behind closed doors. How Bakura’s soul room contained more broken things and torn childhood toys than anywhere in reality. His room was built on sand and broken glass. It felt like a cage with spikes pointing in on the inhabitants. It was as if at any moment, they would be crushed by the sheer weight of its roof. Ryo felt his heart break each time Bakura let him see inside.

It was just feeling that heartbreak that Bakura would immediately snap back into a nastier mood. He would sneer about pitying the dead and slam that door shut. And Ryo would stand at that door, occasionally unaware that his body was not on autopilot and rather in the hands of a pained soul. Yugi didn’t completely understand but that was okay. Ryo wasn’t sure he himself understood.

He wondered and hoped the human part of the thief king finally found some peace in death. It didn’t seem fair that someone so wounded wouldn’t eventually get a much deserved rest.

There was a knock on his door. Rapid and loud. Not Jounouchi. Definitely not Yugi.

He blinked and jumped out of his seat. No one was really around that would come see him so who...? He opened the door and blinked. “Kaiba?”

“Don’t look too deeply into this. Mutou just asked me to stop by.” He didn’t look the other boy in the eye.

Ryo noticed the bag he was trying to hold so casually. He eyed Kaiba. “Food?”

“Also Mutou.”

Ryo frowned up at him. “I appreciate the sentiment but I’m not a goldfish. I can take care of myself.”

“Tell him that.” He handed Ryo the bag.

“I did. He doesn’t listen.” Like a mother hen. He stepped out of the way to invite Kaiba into the apartment. “Where’s Jounouchi?” He was usually the one sent on this mission. He looked into the bag.

“He went on an escort mission to reunite Yugi with the Pharoah.”

Ryo’s head snapped up. “What?”

“They didn’t tell you then.” Kaiba snorted and glanced around the apartment absentmindedly. “Typical. They leave out the people that would care and yet drag me into it. But some weird loophole or dumb magic bullshit, he’s back.”

The bag dropped and slapped against the floor.

He looked back at Ryo to see the already washed out boy turn even whiter.

“He’s.... back....?” Doe eyes were wider than normal.

Kaiba groaned inwardly. Why did he have to say anything?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are going to start speeding up from here, I promise. Also, Ryo's finally been introduced!  
> The holidays are really beginning to kick my ass... I'll try to be quicker with the updates and such.


	7. Father

 

Yugi hadn’t thought a few hours of sleep here and there would be considered insomnia. Or that the dreams, which usually were of him chasing something that he can never catch, would return him to what he remembered as his soul room.

Not much changed in it; about half of the toys that previously occupied the floor were shelved and gathering dust. A new toy- a plush doll of Pharaoh Atem- laid on his bed. The room’s side also seemed to increase, but left everything pretty much the same size. It made the floor look a little more sparse. The door that once led out into the hallway between the soul rooms was gone and replaced with photos of friends and family as well as a full length mirror. But there was a large door he didn’t remember seeing on the far wall. It looked like it was ripped directly from Atem’s soul room and now it stood right in the center of a once blank wall. He walked up and touched it; the cold metal felt strange in his fingertips.

This wasn’t just a normal dream.

“Yugi Mutou?”

He snapped around to see a man standing there, donned in robes similar to that of a pharaoh. He frowned at the sight. “Who are you?”

The man smiled and placed a hand on his chest and bowed deeply. “My name is Akhenamkhanen. And it’s an honor to meet you.”

Where has he heard that name before? He gave a small bow back. “I wish I could say the same but I’m afraid I don’t know you.” He wasn’t sure he liked this person being in such an intimate place. However, this was far from the first time someone else was in here.

Akhenamkhanen straightened and smiled softly. “I am Atem’s father, Little One.”

“...Oh.” Yugi rubbed the back of his head and laughed sheepishly. “That’s embarrassing.” He cleared his throat and bowed deeper than before. “The honor is all mine, sir.” He looked back up. “What brings you into my soul room?”

“My son cannot know I came to you.” He frowned deeply. “I fear for him and his soul.”

It didn’t take long for him to piece it together. Yugi grimaced. “You don’t think he should’ve come back.”

“I do not mean to offend you, but the boy was dead for a very long time before meeting you. You must understand how this is relatively unconventional.” He sucked in a deep breath and sat on the bed. “However, I cannot stand in the way of what Atem could want. He called to you even as he walked into the Afterlife. I believe he may have simply been answering you.”

“If that’s true, I never meant to call out to him. I was coming to terms with never seeing him again...” Yugi crossed his arms and leaned against the wall in front of Akhenamkhanen. “But I’m sorry. I’m not about to do anything to hurt him and force him to return to you.”

“Yes, I understand. He is here now because it truly is where he believes he belongs.” He looked up at Yugi. “I just beg you to understand he may have opened up a situation that will leave him in grave danger.”

The duelist frowned. “What do you mean?”

“A darkness followed the moment he left and I fear the omen it left behind. He is more fragile than he seems, especially now in a mortal body of his own.”

Yugi understood that statement was true in a much deeper sense than this pharaoh possibly knew. Sure, Atem was able to take on many different people without batting an eye and that was back before he knew his own name. But as soon as something really hits too close to home, he loses it.

Akhenamkhanen stood up and placed his hands on Yugi’s shoulders. “Please, Little One. I need you to protect my son from this darkness. I’m not sure what will happen if he were to be consumed.”

Yugi blinked up at Akhenamkhanen for a moment before looking off to the side with a thought. “Is this a role reversal?”

“Role re-what?”

“Nothing. Sorry, don’t worry about it.” He looked back up and nodded. “Yes. I’ll do everything in my power to protect Atem. You can count on me.”

Akhenamkhanen smiled at Yugi and let go slowly. “I understand now why he returned. You are a good soul. Thank you.” Like smoke, Akhenamkhanen disappeared without so much as a farewell.

Yugi slid down the wall of his soul room and rested his arms on his knees. Protect Atem? He was sure he could do that. But from what?

He didn’t spend much more time in his soul room. He walked back over to the new door and touched the cold steel. He pushed at the door and tried to pry it open.

It didn’t budge.

With a final pant, Yugi pulled back and took a few steps away from the door. What was its point being in here anyway?

He rubbed his hands together and sucked in a deep breath before simply knocking on it. The sound vibrated and echoed onto the other side, down deep.

So it was most definitely a door. But one that wasn’t ready to open for him.

With nothing more to do, he looked around the room one last time and pursed his lips into a thin line. Then he nodded. “Time to wake up, I guess.” He couldn’t be too sure how much time had passed, but being in his soul room never really made for a restful sleep anyway.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and found himself in his temporary room at Duelist Kingdom, laying alone in his bed. He stared up at the ceiling motionless as his mind grasped at the memory of the dream. This was not a thought to turn into nothing more than a fleeting memory.

He slowly sat up as he tried to think of how he got here. The memories from before he fell asleep fed back into his mind. That’s right; Atem. He collapsed and fell asleep right there in the middle of a hallway. Maybe more sleep would do him some good.

He looked around the room and found the other sitting at a desk on the far side of the room. He glanced up when Yugi pulled himself from the bed and gave the other a small smile. “Did you sleep well?”

Yugi nodded and scratched his head. “How long have I been out?”

“Only a few hours. All your duels have been pushed back a day.” Atem looked back down at the cards. “Many of the duelists took that time to get more preparations. Pegasus said it was a blessing in disguise.”

He walked over and draped his arms around Atem to hug him from behind. “You talked to Pegasus?”

“Briefly. To inform him of your situation and let him figure out how to handle it.”

“Hmm.” As his head passed the other’s cheek, he felt something smear against his skin. Yugi looked at Atem with a frown. “Are you wearing make-up?” He ran a finger across the other’s cheek, leaving behind a greasy toner.

“Ah. Yes.” He rubbed the cheek quickly, only succeeding in smearing it more. “Postponing the duels was Plan B.”

Yugi raised an eyebrow. “And how far did they get with Plan A?”

Atem snorted as he remembered Jounouchi and Pegasus standing by as make up was applied to him. When they were done, there was a silent moment of appraisal. Then Pegasus shook his head and Jou burst into tears from laughing too hard.

“It didn’t leave the office,” he said dryly.

Yugi chuckled softly and rubbed some of the make up off his face. “That’s probably for the best.” It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Atem to act proper. After all, Yugi trusted him with his body and soul. But they were still separate people now and it wouldn’t be fair to the duelists.

He stood up and grabbed a towel from the fair side of the room. “Hey, once the King’s Duels are done, do you want to go on a trip with me to see Anzu?” He wiped the make-up from his hand then walked back over to Atem with it. “She called me this morning. I thought it would be nice for us to go, maybe take in a few sites while we’re there.” He smiled and handed the other the towel. “What do you think?”

Atem took the oily concoction from his fingers before bringing the cloth up to his cheek. “I would love to. But should we really be concentrating on that right now?”

Yugi nodded. “You’re right. One step at a time.” He sat down on a small couch behind the desk and looked at the back of Atem’s head. “Now seems like a good time for you to tell me how you got back.”

Atem turned and looked at the other with little expression for a long time. The toner was still a little smeared on his face; his rubbing had only managed to make it worse when he hit the mark at all. But it was left ignored for a moment in favor of a thought. Yugi collapsed before. “You should eat something.” He stood up and placed the towel on the desk.

“Atem...” Yugi sighed.

“You can stay here and I’ll run out and get something for you.” The ex-pharaoh was able to get in two strides for the door.

Then a hand wrapped around his wrist firmly. “No, We have to talk. Look at me.”

He slowly turned and looked. Yugi stood, his eyes narrowed as they bored into the other’s. “In case you haven’t noticed, things have changed here. Neither of us are the same people. This isn’t the ceremonial duel anymore and I’m not about to just let you walk away from me again.” The grip tightened a fraction. “You don’t live in me so I can’t read your mind. I don’t know why you’re scared.”

“I’m not-”

“-But after all we’ve been through, whatever it is that’s bothering you, I promise I can handle it. So, here’s what we’re going to do...” He pulled him closer.

Atem gave no resistance as Yugi backed up and gently coaxed him near the couch.

“We’re going to sit down until you explain this and I clean the rest of that goo off your face.” He put his hands on Atem’s shoulders and forced him to sit. “After that, we’ll go find Jounouchi and get something to eat. Deal?”

Atem sucked in a deep breath and nodded. There really wasn’t any avoiding it now. He watched Yugi head into the bathroom and contemplated running for the door.

But, aside from being an act of cowardice, he knew better. This conversation would have to happen. If it wasn’t now, it would be later with an agitated Yugi gripping his arm and outright demanding answers in return for its release. He wouldn’t be able to distract from this.

He sat there and stared down at his hands. When Yugi returned with a moist hand towel, he knew there was no more stalling.

Yugi grabbed his chin and turned his face carefully. “Whenever you’re ready.” The warm towel pressed against his cheek.

Atem sighed through his nose. “I assume you already know my motivation behind returning.” He saw the other nod out of the corner of his eye. “As for how... It may become a little convoluted.”

“My specialty.” The corners of Yugi’s lips twitched.

Atem let out a soft laugh. “Returning to life was simpler for me than most others. But it still required trial after trial before even the creation of my own body.” He looked back at his hands, now gripping his knees. “Each one is harder than the one before. All of them are designed to tear apart the soul trying to return. This is why so few are truly resurrected.” He swallowed thickly. “If I wasn’t already so familiar with the Shadow Games, I would surely be like all the others.”

There was a pause in the movement of the towel. “What happened to the others?”

Atem looked at Yugi. “They were devoured and torn by the Abyss until nothing was left.”

“That’s horrible!”

“It is. But ultimately, it was their decision. And their sacrifice.”

“And yours.”

“But I succeeded.”

“And if you didn’t, there would be nothing left of you!”

Atem looked at Yugi full on. He was gripping the towel so tightly water was beginning to drip from his fingers. He frowned at Yugi. “Partner... It was worth it to be with you again.”

Yugi’s eyes softened and he sucked in a deep breath. “You risked your soul for this, Atem.” His grip loosened a little. “Don’t get me wrong; I’m very touched. But there’s still so many people who care about you in the Afterlife. Who are probably worried that you didn’t make it through.”

Atem looked down.

“And what about when I finally did die? Say you didn’t make it. Did you think I wouldn’t go looking for you?” He looked at the cloth with a sneer. “No wonder this didn’t work. This isn’t even close to my skin tone.”

Atem snorted. “It was the best they could do on short notice.”

“And what about the body? How did that come to be?”

Atem smiled. “Shadow Magic, mostly. Each trial completed added more to the body until there was enough of a form to house a soul. When I finally finished, I found myself awakened in Domino.”

He blinked. “Just like that? No warning or anything?”

“It wasn’t an easy transition by any means. I wasn’t very prepared for the atmosphere. I assumed I would be resurrected right there in the tomb, but it seemed any left over Shadow Magic was more prominent near home.”

“Heh.” He ran the towel over Atem’s temple. “I wish I was there. It would’ve saved Grandpa the awkward situation of you running around naked.”

“Mokuba was the first to see me.”

The duelist bit his lip to keep from laughing. He could only imagine the horror from the Kaiba brothers when Atem was at their doorstep.

Although, Atem was lucky Kaiba didn’t outright kill him if Mokuba was involved in seeing the naked pharaoh. He knew there was information missing but he could entertain himself with imagining the rest. Everyone was safe; that was most important.

Yugi sighed and turned the other’s head a little further as he spotted some behind his jaw. “Is there anything else I should know? Does this body only run for seven years? When you die, does your soul disappears for good?”

“Nothing that I’m aware of as of yet.”

“And if anything does?”

“You will always be the first to know.”

Yugi nodded and sucked in a deep breath. “Okay.” He wiped away some of the excess water and smiled. “I am very happy to see you again, just so we’re clear.” He kissed him on the cheek. “I just can’t be rewarding you completely for doing something so rash and dangerous.”

Atem smiled softly and turned to catch Yugi’s lips. “Understood.”

The kiss didn’t last long when there was a knock at the door and a shout. “Is it safe to come in? You two aren’t bumping uglies or anything, right?”

Atem frowned at the door. “Bumping what?”

“It means having sex,” Yugi called to the door. “No, Jounouchi. You’re safe.”

He burst in as soon as he heard his name and looked over at the two. “Good! You’re up! C’mon, I’ve been waiting for you and now I’m starving.”

Yugi looked at Jou flatly. “What if I was still asleep?”

“Doesn’t matter; I knew you weren’t. Let’s go!”

“Right!” Yugi climbed off the couch and looked back at Atem. “You coming?”

“Why is it called ‘bumping uglies?’” Atem looked up, his brows furrowed.

Yugi blinked before laughing and offering him a hand. “I’ll tell you when you’re older.” He pulled the other to his feet and gripped his hand as they walked out of the room.

 

“Does this make me a secret you keep for yourself or have you already forgotten?” A figure that looked like him whispered in his ear.

Atem didn’t acknowledge the other by looking at him. He simply continued to ignore the figment. Maybe it was nothint more than a memory left behind from the trials on his soul. He could hope, at least. Atem took a large bite of his burger.

The Other seemed to be able to read his mind.“Ignoring me, I see. Hurtful, Other Me. But I know your thoughts. Rest assured, I am very real.” The other floated around the table where Jounouchi and Yugi talked and laughed. It stopped to float right above Yugi, the grin nearly separating its lower jaw from the rest of its head. “In time, you won’t be the only one who sees me.”

Yugi didn’t see it. Atem thanked the gods for that small miracle. This would be easier to protect Yugi if his partner stayed blind to the sight for now.

However, he didn’t like how closely the other floated. He fought the urge to snarl. If you harm so much as one hair on his head.

The Other smiled and returned to his position right near Atem. “What an adorable little hero you make, Other Me. However, you should worry less about Yugi and more about yourself. There are so many more ways to bring harm to someone without ever needing to touch them.” He flicked Atem’s hair with a chuckle. “Just think about that one while you’re on your back tonight.”

Yugi turned and blinked at the other. “Atem?”

He snapped back to reality to find Jou and Yugi staring at him. Jou snorted. “Back from whatever planet, space cadet?”

“Ah, yes.” Atem nodded with a smile. “Yes, I’m back.”

He tried hard to keep those thoughts at bay but they wouldn’t go anywhere. He wondered what this was moving around in his mind. Was it possible to just take care of it on his own? Would Yugi gain anything from knowing?

Atem couldn’t imagine Yugi would have any need to know. Not until he himself figured out what was going on. For all he knew, it could be a floating piece of his own personality that had yet to snap into place.

He would adopt these thoughts and live his life with his partner for now. And between soft gasps and suppressed moans, he knew this was for the best.

Atem didn’t like the comment left by the Other. And he couldn’t help that the memory of their talk came back at the moment he predicted.

Yugi nipped at his neck and thrusted to make Atem moan again. “Stay with me...”

Atem’s breath hitched. He wondered if Yugi truly knew what he was asking. But he nodded and wrapped his arms around Yugi. “I’m here...” He arched into him. “...I’m here.”

Yugi smiled and rested his forehead against Atem’s. “Good.” He claimed the pharaoh’s lips and drove in deeper.

“Mmph!” Atem gripped Yugi’s head, tangling hair between his fingers. He felt himself meet Yugi’s thrusts before his body tensed and curled in orgasm.

For a moment, they were frozen with only the sound of satiated panting filling the room. He stared up at Yugi and wondered about what ran through his head. Even now, it was strange to have a mind so silent. To lack the young voice and thoughts of benefits of doubt and kindness.

As Yugi pulled back and plopped down next to him, Atem watched him. When Yugi curled up against him, Atem returned the affection immediately and wrapped an arm around him. He pulled him in close.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were born the traditional way.” The pale hand lingered on his chest and worked its way down toward his belly button. His thumb brushed against a scar; small but out of place on his otherwise virgin skin.

The thumb lingered and Yugi looked at it. A scar on an otherwise clean slate stood out. And there was no way for it to be so perfectly healed when his life span up to this point couldn’t be more than a few weeks.

A nuzzling against his head and content sigh cut Yugi from his thoughts. Atem has given him no reason not to trust him. This scar could simply be from the trial.

“That was the plan.”

Yugi smiled and planted a kiss on Atem’s collarbone. “The plan worked out in your favor.”

Atem chuckled and hugged his partner closer. “Indeed.” His eyes slipped closed.

Yugi stared off for a moment, his thoughts returning to Akhenamkhanen. He looked so worried about his son. “Atem?”

“Hm?”

“Who helped you leave? I mean, did everyone know what was going on?”

“Not everyone was supportive of the leave. But... Mahad was at the forefront,” his voice became softer as he thought about it. He hoped his friend was okay.

“Your family?”

“They knew. Honestly, it was a bit discouraged.”

Yugi looked up at him. “Yeah, I can understand why.”

“But I’m here now. There’s no need to worry.” Atem smiled softly and pressed his lips to Yugi’s forehead. “Time to sleep.”

Yugi smiled back. “Good night, Other Me.” It was meant as nothing more than a playful nickname. A call back to when they were one.

But he felt Atem tense under his fingers. He relaxed a moment later, but didn’t acknowledge it. “Good night, Partner.”

As they rested with one another, Yugi remembered back to the time before. It was a difficult situation. He knew his feelings well enough to know what was growing between them. It started when he realized they were separate entities, but even then he couldn’t do much but chalk it up to some form of narcissism. A strange thing for a kid who never particularly liked himself. But he didn’t dare to think it could become anything more.

Their first kiss was after the duel with a brain washed Bandit Keith and the fire that nearly claimed his life. When the dust settled and they were both out of it and back alone, Yugi’s thoughts returned to the duel before.

Had Yugi not solved the puzzle or even lost a piece, Atem would’ve been gone. Yugi could have died in there and Atem would have stayed trapped. What scared him was not the thought of his own death, but rather the fate that would fall on Atem. He would spend the rest of eternity trapped in a broken item with no idea of who or what he was. Yugi friends and family would be left to mourn, but the spirit of the puzzle wouldn’t even have the ability to feel. And neither of them would be able to find out how deeply these feelings went.

He initiated the kiss on these thought. Even though it was met with enthusiasm, it wasn’t a fairy tale perfect kiss. Comparing it to its predecessors, it barely even qualified as a kiss. It was awkward and inexperienced with bumping teeth and way too much tongue. Yugi’s initiation caught the other off guard, but he quickly picked up on what to do. When they finally pulled away, neither knew exactly how to react. All Yugi knew was he wanted to do it again. When he did, he claimed it as practice and watched the other’s face turn beet red. He liked knowing he had that effect on his other.

The nameless pharaoh pretended to believe that’s all it was for a while. He acted almost as if he were only the practice board of whoever claimed Yugi’s heart. After all, he wasn’t living; he might eventually have to move on to wherever he came from and leave Yugi to create his own path. He couldn’t get attached.

For a while, it was how they stepped around the truth of the deeper bond growing between them. They could act like this would be forever, but the Pharaoh couldn’t get attached. it wasn’t until Yugi’s return from Dartz that he truly initiated the affection they were sharing.

As soon as everything was calm, he walked into Yugi’s soul room and looked at his partner like a kicked puppy. He filled the silence with soft kisses and tearful apologies. By then, they knew enough to know what each other needed. Right then, he knew Atem just needed everything to be okay.

Yugi had already forgiven him.

‘Love’ was never a word that needed to be spoken. They both knew that’s what it was simply because of their shared connection. But then came the day when they had to let each other go. Their connection was severed for a while after that. He never expected to hear from the pharaoh again. He was by no means ungrateful for Atem’s return, but a life full of people playing with Shadow Magic has made Yugi wary of any of its abilities.

Whatever this was, Atem would not be able to fix their bond with kisses and apologies. Yugi sucked in a deep, calming breath. He closed his eyes. For now, they were both safe and together. That’s all he could ever ask.

It was this thought that finally allowed him to drift off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ehhhhh, this chapter gave me a bit of trouble. But I'm alright with how it came out.  
> The chapter release is quickly catching up to my writing process. Hopefully, this won't affect the timing of release anymore than it already has.  
> I promise I know where I'm going with it!


	8. Yami

 

Atem didn’t dream anymore. Not in the sense of his mind forming symbols or entertaining itself while he regained energy. Every time he went to rest, he was pulled into a place where the Other could reach him and hold a lion’s share of the control. And what better place than the confines of his own soul.

It wasn’t the same labyrinth that consisted of his soul room last. It wasn’t nearly as complicated. All those stone walls and stairs turned into a large, dimly lit throne room filled with neatly arranged games and framed photos of everyone he knew. In the far corner was a closed door; simple and gold in color. It was easily the brightest item in the soul room. Atem was unable to open it no matter how much he tried.

He knew that door well but any other time he’s seen it, it was wide open and greeting him from the other side of the small hall. He wondered if it would ever open again.

But by the other presence in the room, he hoped it wouldn’t. Not until only the former pharaoh stood in this soul room.

“Yo, Atem. I see you took the time to visit.” There, sitting in the throne surrounded by games, was the Other. In his hand he held a plush doll of Yugi that Atem felt belonged seated in the throne. He tossed it up in the air and caught it. “How nice of you to come by.” He smiled darkly. Everything about this entity screamed darkness.

Yami, Atem decided. It seemed to be a proper name for this being. And considering he was stubbornly staying attached to Atem’s mind, he would require a name.

Atem stood strong, despite his urge to just wake up and never allow this one to enter this dream space. “I have finished the trials and won against you. Why do you continue to haunt me?”

Yami blinked. “Haunt you?” He stood up and walked around the stone throne, his hand running across the top of it as he dropped the doll back into place. “This hardly qualifies as a haunting.”

“That doesn’t answer the question.” Atem forced his mind calm to keep himself from visibly shaking. “Why are you here?”

He crossed his arms and walked closer. “Leaving the Land of the Dead is not as simple as you wish. You can’t just stand around, pout for your ‘Partner’ and expect to return without consequences.” Yami got right in Atem’s face. The smell of blood and fire invaded his senses. “Proper sacrifice must be made and you have yet to pay.”

Atem backed away from him. “I finished the trials. I passed them all.”

“And yet, here I stand; in your most intimate of rooms.” Yami rolled his eyes. “You truly have lost your nerve, Pharaoh. If you are to live, a sacrifice of blood must be made. You cannot live without someone’s death to take your place.”

“And if I refuse?” He already had his body. What could this fraction of a spirit truly do to him? He was not about to kill someone just to appease this being.

Yami shrugged casually. “You know better than most what happens when a man refuses to follow the rules.” He walked over to the closed door. “I may simply take the blood myself. I wonder how our friend would handle it.” He knocked on the door.

It echoed on the other side.

“He is, after all, the closest.”

Atem snarled. “You will not touch him.”

“Follow the rules and you won’t have to worry.” Yami turned away after one last touch to the door. “Such penalties only come to those who try to cheat. You know that just as well as I.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Or will you claim to forget the men and women who failed our games?”

“The ‘games’ we played are over. We lost those abilities.”

Yami shook his head. “Not lost. Just locked away because of your fear. You’re blinded, Pharaoh. Foolish. But at least I’m around to help you.” He stepped away. “The moment that door opens, I will be right here to greet our guest. Unless you fill your duty before then.”

Atem prayed to any god who would listen that door would never open. It was bad enough Yami was his own entity. He didn’t need that door open, especially if it led right where he feared it would.

When he woke up the next morning, Yugi was already gone. A small blessing he didn’t expect to receive. Alone, he could think about what was going on. What was Yami? A split in his soul? Possible a manifestation of darkness that stuck with him?

He ran a trembling hand over his face. This complication was not what he expected. If anything, he thought there would be the possibility of others haunting him. A possible reappearance of the thief king at the absolute most. Anger from the Ishtars if they ever found out at the very least. Struggles outside his own mind.

The only part that truly qualified for his predictions was the anger of a certain CEO. But Kaiba’s reaction didn’t compare to whatever lived in him.

He climbed out of bed and winced at the soreness of his backside. It served as a better reminder of the night before. He was alive now and with Yugi. He would continue to go about this as he planned.

He looked in the mirror and caught sight of a distorted face directly over his shoulder. Startled, he stumbled back gracelessly and the face disappeared with a laugh when he hit the wall behind him.

Finish the game. The words echoed in his head.

Atem buried his head in his hands.

 

“How?! I’ve practiced non-stop! I watched all your duels! I even looked up every card that would work best against every card in your deck! How could I have lost?!”

If he wasn’t so used to Kaiba, Yugi would be surprised by how much thought this duelist put into defeating him. He smiled awkwardly at him. “Sure you did all that but that doesn’t necessarily make a balanced deck.”

“Balance?! That’s your advice?!”

“Yeah?”

The young duelist looked like he wanted to strangle Yugi. “I call for a re-match!”

“Sorry, but that’s not the way it works for this tournament.” He really didn’t know what to tell this kid. “Maybe some other time?”

His face turned bright red and for a moment Yugi was afraid he might completely explode. Before he had the chance, he was taken to the ground by Jounouchi.

Yugi moved closer. “Jou, you shouldn’t be in here. You’re going to get disqualified.”

And that’s where the tape stopped. Pegasus looked at the three with a stern expression of a parent. The newly lost duelist was covered in bandages. Jounouchi also had a few from the fight that took place immediately after the tape was stopped.

Yugi had gotten mixed into the action and cause a scrape on his cheek, but the bruises they treated on his neck were not from the fight. He tried to tell them but they treated them anyway. He looked over at the two glaring duelists with a defeated sigh. And things were going so well...

“Yugi, you are completely within your right to strike back on our friend here.” Pegasus glared at him then at Jounouchi. “And we should consider disqualifying Mr. Katsuya.”

Jounouchi’s eyes widened. “What?! I was just doing the thing your guys should’ve been doing!”

“This is the second duelist you’ve fought!”

“With good reason! Atem almost died, ya know!” He jutted his thumb at the other duelist. “And this kid was two seconds away from blowing up.”

Pegasus shook his head. “We have security for things like that. Watch.” He snapped his fingers and pointed to the kid.

Seconds later, he was dragged out of the office by two large men in suits. He cried out in outrage as he was pulled out, his ranting filled the room of threats against Jounouchi.

“And as for you two.” He glanced at the door for a moment before he smiled and started to laugh. “Oh my, it seems your Knight has finally arrived.”

Yugi turned to see Atem standing in the doorway, panting softly. “You’ve been hurt...”

Yugi smiled. “It’s nothing.”

“Where were you?” Jounouchi hung an arm over his chair. “You missed all the action.”

Atem scratched the back of his head and stepped into the office. “I overslept. Was it bad?”

Yugi and Jounouchi looked to each other before all three turned and looked at their host. Pegasus sighed. “Honestly, it could have been much worse.” He shot another look to Jounouchi. “As much as it pains me to say, he was just acting as a dog protecting his master.”

“Hey! I get enough dog jokes from other people, I don’t need it from you!”

“At the very least, he’s entertaining.” The man propped his head up on his fist and looked at them calmly. “But you’re on your final warning. Let my men do their job.”

Jounouchi crossed his arms and looked of to the side defiantly. “I’ll give your men a job.”

“Heh,” Yugi looked at his friend. “You might want to rethink that last statement.”

Jounouchi blinked, his face turning several shades of red.

Pegasus couldn’t help but laugh. “If you plan on a ‘job’, please be sure to do it in your room. There are children here.” He waved them out.

“Th-that’s not what I meant!” Jounouchi stared back at Pegasus as Yugi ushered him out of the room.

Atem frowned in confusion, but followed the two out. It was then that he place a hand on Yugi’s shoulder.

Yugi turned and looked at the ex-pharaoh in confusion. Now that he was there in front of him, he could see stress beginning to build in his eyes. Worry fluttered in Yugi’s stomach. “Is everything alright?”

Atem swallowed thickly and shook his head. “There’s... something we must discuss as soon as possible.”

Yugi’s face fell and he nodded. He didn’t like that look in the least bit. “We can talk now. Come on.” He took a hold of Atem’s hand and led him down the hall until they were both away and in a less frequented area.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays to Everyone! I hope you're enjoying the story so far. :P


	9. The Duel King

The halls entering the dorm area was typically quiet during this time thanks to everyone wandering the common rooms and the duel area. The few people that were there only left their rooms and headed down the hall without much more than a few glances at Yugi.

They stood there in silence for a few seconds until the hall was completely empty. Yugi looked around for a moment, then to Atem expectantly. “What’s wrong?”

He didn’t want to worry Yugi, but this was too important to hold onto in silence. This could become an even bigger problem if he tried to keep it from his partner. At least now Yugi could prepare himself for anything that might happen rather than be blindsided by what could be a very dangerous phantom.

Atem informed Yugi of Yami and the presence of the other being within his mind. He didn’t want to worry his partner but he also swore to tell Yugi as soon as something came up. He was never one to keep secrets from the other boy, especially when it was something that could easily affect him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the shadow watching with his arms crossed. Yami was completely calm through the talk. He didn’t say a word to Atem and opted to just listen and look between the two mortal beings in front of him. The ex-pharaoh was almost afraid to know what the phantom was thinking at that moment, especially when his eyes lingered on Yugi.

So long as he was still conscious, the spirit wouldn’t be able to touch Yugi. Atem smiled humorlessly as he finished his talk and gave a little shrug. “Maybe it’s a form of karma. I now have a small taste of what you experienced.”

Yugi stared at his partner with a frown as he processed all the information. He then shook his head. “There are some differences. He’s not taking over your body, right?”

“No.” Atem could practically see the gears spinning in Yugi’s head.

“You haven’t had any blank spots in your memory?” When Atem shook his head, Yugi nodded. “We’ll figure this out.” This was most likely the ‘darkness’ to which Atem’s father was referring. He wrapped his arms around the other. “Everything will be fine.”

He felt Atem’s grip tighten on him securely. He could feel the worry and fear even if his partner would never admit to it. It didn’t matter. He’s dealt with enough in his past. A lot of people were taken from him by ‘darkness.’ He managed to get most of them back.

He wouldn’t let it have Atem. Not again.

 

Thanks to the full view of the cameras, news of Jounouchi’s fight travelled fast. But very few were surprised. Jounouchi was known for having a wild temper which mostly resulted in a lot of trash talk during his duels. And his friendship with Yugi was far from secret.

It really just served as a reminder for everyone to leave the two friends alone.

The days flew by from there. No more duelists were disqualified from the tournament, but more dropped out as Yugi continued to win and they lost their nerves.

A few participants stuck around after their loses for the final two duels. They knew Jounouchi stood a chance against Yugi and the possibility of him becoming King of Games was a very real one.

Atem watched from the common room with the few duelists still around. They watched only to see the relaxed demeanors of two of the highest ranking duelists. It was one of the few times in which one of them would be cracking jokes at their opponent.

“Hey! I traded you that card yesterday! You can’t use it to attack me!”

“If you can find that written in a rulebook, I would be very surprised.”

“How about the unwritten rule of not making a dick move? C’mon, you used to be such a sweet kid.”

“Yup! Then I met you!” Leave it to Yugi to make an insult sound cheerful. “Don’t be mad just because you’re about to lose.”

Atem smiled at their banter. From what he learned during this was Jounouchi had since become a crowd favorite. He could understand why. While Yugi was friendly, he was clearly uncomfortable when it came to a large collection of his fans. Most of the time during this competition was spent away from public eye. Kaiba himself was too intimidating for anyone to approach unless it was a cocky journalist or a kid who didn’t know he was supposed to be afraid. The former typically learned pretty quickly. Which left Jou as the outwardly warmest out of the highest three. The underdog everyone loved.

It was interesting to watch everyone watch them interact.

No one fought when Yugi pulled out ahead once again. Jounouchi and Yugi made it clear they were both having a good time, which translated into the views. When he lost, Jounouchi laughed and rubbed the back of his head. “Guess I still have a ways to go.”

The duelist standing next to Atem folded his arms with a sigh. “Man, if Jounouchi couldn’t beat him, what chance did I have?” He said to his friend. They walked away as the camera cut out to the dueling chart and removed ‘Jounouchi Katsuya’ from the list.

It left only one final duelist. ‘Yuki Fudo.’

His hands tightened into fists as he remembered the last time he dueled Yugi. It led him to leave in attempt to put his soul to rest. He knew this wasn’t that duel, but his mind wasn’t completely absorbing that piece of logic. There wasn’t any reason he would be forced to leave. Not now. Not ever. He has nothing to fear from this duel and it would be ridiculous to think otherwise.

“Yuki Fudo to the Duel Room.” A monotone female voice called over the intercom.

Atem nearly forgot that was his name being announced. A few of the duelists left the common room at the same time as him, most likely to head out to the vendors before they closed up shop. He understood. Now that they saw the duel with Jounouchi Katsuya, why stick around for one last nameless duelist who only really got ranked because of his friendship with the third ranking duelist?

It might be for the best. He didn’t know how well they’d be able to handle this duel.

He sucked in a deep breath and walked into the Duel Area. It was a large room with floor to ceiling windows on one side. Aside from a few cameras, as well as a large computer screen to keep track of everyone watching as well as the tournament dropouts, there wasn’t much to the room.

Yugi rocked back and forth on his feet as Atem stepped in. Jounouchi still leaned against the wall and grinned at Atem. “Good luck, buddy.”

Atem smiled back and turned to Yugi as he walked into the cameras’ view. “Don’t hold back now.”

Yugi smiled widely. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

The number of views increased slowly as the duel progressed. The match continued on a course of touch and go that most didn’t see when he was dueling Jou. The counter increased when it was realized the King could possibly lose this duel. Many things were similar to the duel with Jounouchi; both showed considerable skill and both were pretty relaxed as if they’d played one another countless times.

But there was still one part missing. There was no playful banter. They didn’t speak anymore than they had to. But the two continued to smile at one another as if sharing quiet secrets.

The view counter increased again. Atem wondered how many of those view contained the eyes of people they knew. How many people now knew he was back by simply turning on the TV?

His life point counter fell to zero. No one watching was surprised. Their king always seemed to pull things together in the last second.

Yugi smiled at him softly. “You’re still here.” The statement was one of reassurance and came out like a sigh of relief. For most of the viewers, it made no sense.

Atem stared at Yugi. He didn’t care they were on camera. As soon as those words registered in his mind, he strode over to Yugi and quickly pulled him into a hug. “I’ll always be here.”

Yugi buried his head in the crook of Atem’s neck. “You better.”

Jou laughed softly. “Hey! It might be time to cut the cameras. This is about to get really gross!”

The two looked over at their friend and laughed before he burst into frame and wrapped them both into a bear hug. Jou grinned at the camera. “No new King of Games this time, kids!”

Yugi’s face lit up a little. He laughed. “Jou...”

Then Atem pumped his fist in the air with a smile of his own. “Long live the king!”

Jou laughed and the two of them began chanting it like a mantra while Yugi’s face turned to the color of a tomato. He covered it his face with his hands.

Out of all the people viewing, two billionaires were among the ranks. One of which watched from the recording room itself with a grin on his face. He was happy they were causing such a stir about Mr. Mutou once again holding the King of Games title. It would mean more people attempting to de-throne him. Which meant even more enthusiasm around the card game.

The other watched from his office back in Domino. He had to get up and walk away before he rammed his head into the nearest solid object. Watching the three make fools of themselves was painful to watch even he was getting second-hand embarrassment. He could only handle so much.

But there was another who tuned in mostly out of boredom and curiosity. He wasn’t all that rich and had long since retired his deck, possibly to never lift it again. He just liked to check in every once in a while to see how Yugi’s little group was doing since the last time they spoke. From what he could tell, it was going well. The King of Games would probably never lose his title. But it was always fun to see people make the attempt. So, he turned on the King’s Duels to see who had the nerve to challenge him.

Then he spat up his drink when Yugi’s final opponent stepped into the camera. Among his choking and the quick entrance of his siblings he sat there and watched the entire duel in shock. He pointed a finger at the screen as he coughed. None of the three spoke as their eyes locked on the duel. There was no mistaking it. Yugi’s opponent was the Pharaoh. And it wasn’t hard to figure out Yugi knew this too. They looked among one another as the duel ended and the two duelist began to chant for Yugi’s win.

This had to cause some problems somewhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoy making these nerds be nerds. It's fun!  
> Here's to a brand new year; may it be even better than the last!  
> Also, updates might have to slow down a bit. I'm going to try my best to keep the schedule I have, but there may be a few weeks where the chapter's delayed. Apologies in advance for this!


	10. Return

The men and woman who stuck around until the end were there for the celebration after it was announced that Yugi Mutou still held the title of King of Games. Those who stayed had the time to talk with Yugi themselves as well as receiving a few little perks for staying until the end courtesy of Pegasus himself.

Most only congratulated Yugi before going to get their goodies.

That was fine by him. He didn’t need all the praise. He played the game because he liked it, not to be showered with compliments by everyone. That wasn’t ever what he wanted. But somehow, people responded to it and gave it to him anyway.

He watched Jounouchi immediately go off to the large buffet and pile it on his plate as if he hadn’t eaten anything in a week. Pegasus made some sort of announcement that got people cheering. He’d stopped paying attention after the announcement of his winnings.

A hand slipped into his, fingers lacing with his own. He smiled at nothing and tightened his grip. This is what he wanted. To go home and begin the life he wished for long ago.

Atem leaned in a little closer. “You’ve created quite a kingdom for yourself.”

Yugi snorted and glanced at him. “I can’t take all the credit. This was a team effort, after all.”

He chuckled. “Yes, I suppose it was.” Both of them watched at Jounouchi wandered the floor and talked with the other duelists. “But a team which you led.”

Yugi turned back to Atem and opened his mouth to speak before he jumped at the phone ringing in his pocket. He pulled it out and sighed deeply, sucking in another deep breath before answering it with a smile. “Kaiba. How are you?”

Atem rolled his eyes and pulled back a little. He should feel a little lucky Kaiba was calling now instead of during a more intimate moment. But who was he kidding? It was only a matter of time.

“Yes, of course I’ll accept the challenge. You’ll know as soon as I’m back in Domino.”

Atem raised an eyebrow. “As soon as you’re back?” Kaiba couldn’t at least wait for Yugi to get settled?

Yugi ignored him. “Yep.” He paused and Atem could hear the faint muffling of Kaiba’s ranting. “Mhm.” He turned to Atem. “Kaiba says ‘hi.’”

“I have a difficult time believing that.”

Yugi turned back to the phone. “Atem says ‘hi.’”

“No I didn’t.”

There was a pause in Kaiba’s speaking. Then, calmer talking.

“I’m sure he would love to test out some of the new equipment in a duel against you.” Yugi barely noticed Jounouchi walking up to them.

Gently, Jou slipped the phone from his friend’s hand and brought it up to his ear. “Hey, we got a thing going on here. How about you talk about this with him when we’re back, eh?”

“Jou...”

Jounouchi growled into the phone. “What the Hell did you just call me?! No, nuh-huh. Listen here, you prick-”

The phone was pulled out of Jounouchi’s hand before he could finish the sentence. Yugi glared at Jounouchi as he spoke into the phone. “I’ll call you later.”

Atem could tell the moment Kaiba hung up. Yugi sighed through his nose and relaxed just a fraction before pulling the phone from his ear. He looked at his friend in exasperation. “You know, he only says those things because he knows it gets a reaction.”

Jounouchi snorted, his hands balled into fists. “Next time I see him, I’ll give him a reaction he won’t soon forget.”

Atem crossed his arms. “It’s good to see Kaiba is still working to make friends with Jounouchi.”

Yugi smiled and shook his head. “That’s one thing that might never change.” Although Kaiba and Jounouchi had made some progress towards a tense friendship, they still fought and argued like they were about to tear out one another’s throat. Yugi had attempted to get them to stop and find common ground but it was useless.

He gave up after a while and decided to make the best out of who far all of them came. At least Kaiba and Jounouchi could be in the same room together without Yugi needing to be in between them.

The celebrations didn’t last any longer than that night. The next morning, most of the duelists who stuck around left before Yugi was even awake.

Not that Yugi was waking up any earlier than absolutely necessary.

Somewhere in between the sun peaking and noon, he felt Atem shift. He grunted and gripped the ex-pharaoh tightly. “No. Sleep.”

He heard Atem chuckle and shift back into the bed. “There’s the lazy Yugi I know.”

“Not Lazy Yugi. Sleepy Yugi.” He sighed and nuzzled closer. “Yugi who’s been forced to wake up earlier than should be legal for too long.”

“...Noted.” Atem knew better than most that Yugi was far from a morning person. If he felt he didn’t have to be up, he would cling to the bed and make moving him impossible. Too many days began with Atem in control of the body and forcing Yugi awake by way of cold water and simply moving around while he groaned in protest to the only person who could hear him.

Now, being separate entities, he didn’t have the ability to make Yugi get up aside from lifting him out of bed himself. It didn’t take Atem long to decided it wasn’t something worth fighting about.

He relaxed into the bed again.

Yugi smiled softly and drifted off again. He was able to sleep a few more hours before Jounouchi burst into the room. By that time, Atem had somehow made it out of bed without waking his partner and had already washed up, if the moist hair was any indication.

Jounouchi didn’t hesitate in ripping the covers from the bed. “Good Morning!”

Yugi curled up on himself and groaned loudly.

“It’s time to get ready to go. You missed breakfast!”

“I’ll just eat a big lunch.” Yugi grumbled into a pillow. His eyes snapped open when he felt a hand wrap around his ankle. He gripped the edge of the bed as he was dragged from it.

He turned to glare as Jounouchi, then blinked in surprise to find it was Atem instead. He smiled at the game king. “You can also sleep on the plane.”

Yugi pouted as he climbed to his feet.

A few hours later, the three were boarding the plane and heading back to Japan.

The flight itself was quiet. Aside from Jounouchi’s loud groans of boredom, the three kept quiet. Yugi could tell by looking at Atem there was a lot going on in the other’s mind. It was possible that whatever it was that haunted Atem was speaking to him at that moment.

Yugi frowned. It was a strange dilemna where they often found themselves. Someone always seemed to be posessed by something in their little group. Hopefully it would end with Atem.

It seemed fitting, being that it was also where they began.

As the plane descended and pulled into its gate, Yugi watched out the window. There was still a bit of snow on the ground but it wasn’t nearly as bad as he expected. He knew the storm kept his grandfather from getting much business at the game shop, mainly because no one was willing to brave it to get to the store. But things were probably cleared enough by now.

Jounouchi stretched as they walked out of the plane. “Ah, good to be back!”

Atem raised an eyebrow at him. “We weren’t gone for that long.”

“A couple of weeks is long enough, pal. Especially in that creepy old place.”

Yugi shrugged with a smile. “It’s a lot better than it was-”

“Yugi! Jounouchi!”

The three of them turned and looked to see Honda storming up to them with Ryo close behind. Jounouchi grinned at Honda. “Good to see you’ve finally taken the time away from studying.”

“Don’t give me that. You couldn’t be bothered to tell us about this?!” He gestured to Atem.

“You were busy!”

Ryo ignored the fighting and immediately walked up to the ex-pharaoh. Yugi stepped around but kept a close eye on Ryo. He couldn’t be sure how his very traumatized friend would react to all of this.

Atem tensed as Ryo studied him closely. He knew there was no need to be suspicious of him, but Bakura didn’t leave him in good standing either. Atem stared into the dark eyes, his stomach flipped as he realized the emotion that ran through them.

“Is he here too?” Ryo sounded haunted and desparate for the answer.

Atem shook his head. “I haven’t seen him. As far as I know, he’ll never arise again.”

Ryo stepped back with a sigh. “Alright...”

There was a strange mix of emotions in Ryo. Atem almost reached out to offer him whatever comforting words would make those feelings fade. But then he looked up with a smile. “At least he can rest.”

Atem looked at Yugi but his partner wasn’t looking back. Instead, he placed a hand on Ryo’s shoulder and smiled brightly at the boy. “Sorry we didn’t tell you about this sooner.”

“It’s not your fault.” Ryo shot Jounouchi a look. “It’s his.”

“Hey! I was on a mission!” Jou said in a strained voice as he tried to pull out of Honda’s choke hold.

Yugi smiled awkwardly at the two. “Maybe the airport isn’t the best place for this...”

They left the scene as they realized people were starting to take an interest in the fight between Honda and Jounouchi. Although this was normal for the two, it wasn’t something commonly seen in the airport unless someone was being dragged out by police.

While they walked around the airport to collect their bags from the flight, Yugi noticed Ryo. He never left Atem’s side and talked animatedly about the events that led to Atem’s eventual resting place.

His partner nodded along and asked questions about the relationship between Ryo and Bakura. Yugi was afraid Ryo would be upset by some of the terms he used.

Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. Ryo smiled sadly. “I don’t know if I would consider the relationship between us the be parasitic. In a lot of ways, I was as much at fault for what happened than him.”

Atem raised an eyebrow. “How could you claim that?”

“For a while, we had an agreement. He would be able to take control if he let me try to help him. At first, he didn’t seem to mind it but slowly, he took more and more control.”

Atem sighed heavily. “You were tricked.”

Ryo chucked. “Yeah, I guess I was.” He watched Atem pull his bag from the baggage claim before adding, “he wasn’t completely evil, you know.”

Yugi tensed as Atem’s head snapped back to look at Ryo. He knew his partner wouldn’t do anything harsh to the former host. But they all knew that as the target, the ex-pharaoh harbored the most of the hate.

Ryo knew this as well as anyone else, being the vessel for Bakura. Yugi bit his tongue; as much as he wanted to stop this before the two started to argue it was possible this all needed to be said for both of them to understand.

When Atem stood up straight, Ryo continued. “He was in pain. It drove him mad.”

Atem narrowed his eyes. “That doesn’t excuse his crimes.”

Ryo shifted on his feet at the look, but kept a calm tone as he spoke. “I’m not trying to excuse him. But he suffered plenty for them. Are you telling me millenniums trapped with those memories wouldn’t be a Hell on its own?”

The way Ryo calmly spoke took Atem off his guard. He couldn’t be certain he knew the full extent of the pain on Bakura’s soul. But the end result was a sick man who needed to be put down before he could hurt anyone else.

Ryo nodded. “If you ever see him again, please keep that in mind. And let him know... I’m sorry for not being able to help him more.” He stepped away from Atem and left the pharaoh to think over what was said.

Atem was really just a boy when Bakura showed up with his vendetta. He was barely old enough to father children! But Bakura was even younger when...

A hand on his shoulder snapped him from his thoughts. He turned to see Yugi smiling softly. “It’s been... hard for Ryo. Maybe harder than it’s been for anyone else.”

Atem sighed and nodded to the other. “I can understand why.” He could feel Yami watching Ryo, a deep growl resounding through his mind. An idea flashed in his mind. “Ryo, hold on.” If there was anyone who knew about the dangers of a truly malevolent spirit, it would be him. And that knowledge would work to Atem's advantage.


	11. The Family

“You and Ryo seemed to be getting along.” Yugi said to Atem as the two walked to the game shop. After a few hours, the group decided to go their own separate ways. Jounouchi had to return home to check in on his father while Honda had to finish his studies for an upcoming entrance exam.

Ryo spent a large amount of his time answering Atem’s questions. Yugi could tell by the way the other boy was looking at the ex-pharaoh that he knew exactly why Atem was coming to him. Despite himself, the duel king felt a little relieved. While he wanted to help Atem, he wasn’t completely sure he could. This might be a situation where all he could do was stand by and offer support to his partner. He would continue to look for ways in but this was Atem’s mind and soul but until then the only advice he could give was things he already knew. He couldn’t solve the problem like it was another puzzle.

Atem blinked at Yugi when he brought up their talking. “Ah, yes. Ryo had a few ideas on how to handle the situation.”

“Do you think any of them will work?”

Atem shrugged. “One can only hope.”

“Right.” And that’s exactly what they would do. Hope. Yugi smiled at Atem as they approached the game shop, stepping around a black sedan parked near the front door. It was then that he felt a strange tension. For a moment, he stood out in front of the door and tried to think of what could have caused it.

Atem stopped and frowned at the other. “What’s wrong?”

Yugi gripped Atem’s hand tighter and swallowed thickly. “I guess we’ll find out.”

The walk in was calm and quiet. But it was here Yugi began to notice the changes. An extra pair of shoes by the front door. A coat and hat hung on the wall.

“Oh..” He wasn’t sure how to react. It’s been too many years to know the proper way to handle this situation. He gripped Atem’s hand like a vice as he slowly walked into the living room.

Sure enough, there sat his mother and grandfather. They were sipping tea and speaking to another man with a dark mustache and greying hair with the same blond and black styled like the young duelist.

He looked up at the two and smiled. “Ah! Hello, Yugi!”

Atem blinked as Yugi’s hand dragged him behind. “Hello, Father.”

“Father?” Atem frowned and looked at the older man. He did have all the same features of Yugi. The pharaoh looked to Sugoroku, for a moment feeling completely helpless.

The old man just stared back, his own body tense as he sat on that couch.

Yugi kept a tight grip on Atem as he walked into the living room.

The man’s smile became a little tight. “Who’s your friend?”

“Oh, uh. Right.” Yugi carefully sidestepped and gestured to Atem. “Mom, Dad, Grandpa. This is Atem.”

“Hello, Atem.” His mother was the first person to speak up in a polite friendly tone. “I’m Masami and this is my husband Shunsuke. It’s nice to finally meet you in person.”

Sugoroku looked at his son as the man stood up. Although a small feat, Shunsuke was the tallest one in the room. He only had a few inches over Atem, but the way he stepped forward he might as well be able to dwarf Kaiba.

He gave the ex-pharaoh a lopsided smile. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Really? Uh, h-how much, exactly?” Atem’s voice cracked as he tried his hardest to maintain eye contact.

The question wasn’t answered. Shunsuke just stared at Atem. “Yugi, why don’t you put your things up in your room while I get better acquainted with your friend.”

“Oh, right.” Yugi reluctantly let go of Atem and tried his hardest to ignore the ‘don’t leave me’ energy that came off his partner. He gave him a small, apologetic smile before looking over at his grandfather.

Sugoroku gave the smallest of nods. For a moment, Yugi felt himself a little relieved.

He hopped up the stairs two at a time and nearly sprinted down the hall. As soon as he reached his room, he tossed the bag in the general direction of his bed and returned to the stairs. He didn’t want to leave the pharaoh down there with his father. He hasn’t even spoken to his father in over a year and none of the information was about Atem! From the look of things, that was part of the discussion when he got home. But who knew how much Grandpa had told.

As soon as he reached the stairs, he paused and listened. Atem would be staying here a while if he had any say in this and he didn’t know how long his father planned on staying this time around. It was important to make sure he could handle his own when it came to his parents.

“-was pregnant when my father came home with that puzzle box.”

He crept a little closer to the stairs. The room was silent of anything else but his father’s voice.

“At first, I wanted him to give it to a museum. We didn’t want anything to disrupt such a delicate time in our lives. Reading the inscription on the side of that box didn’t sit well with me.”

So, he really did know a lot.

“But, eventually I gave up the fight. After all, there’s no arguing with the old man.” He heard a little bit of humor in the voice.

He heard his grandfather snort. “Watch your tone.”

His father chuckled, but it quickly died. “My fears were again realized when I was told Yugi came across it. After all, he was just a boy. But when I didn’t hear anything more, I thought no news was good news.”

Tension rose.

“Then I came home just a few days ago.” His voice tightened. “Found out my son has been abused, beaten, _nearly killed_ and very much traumatized... and at the center of it all is the Great Nameless Pharaoh who owned that puzzle and hijacked his body.” There was a growl in his father’s voice Yugi never heard before. He didn’t like the sound of it. It made him think of Jounouchi right before getting into a serious fight.

Yugi peeked around the corner to see his father looming over Atem, who stared at the ground in front of him at his place on the couch. His mother still sat by, expressionless. There probably wasn’t much for her to say; she was pretty much kept in the dark the entire time as well.

Grandpa made eye contact with Yugi and brought his finger up to his lips.

It offered no comfort. He wanted to run down there and get between them before his father could chase Atem out of the house. He would protest and explain this was not easy for any of them, the pharaoh included. He wasn’t about to let this become another fight.

“But he’s alive. Safe and happy on the other end of it all. And you’re also responsible for that.”

Yugi blinked and Atem’s head snapped up so quickly it was a wonder he didn’t get whiplash.

His father didn’t turn away. “Yugi, come down. I know you’re listening.”

He flinched at the call of his name and slowly walked down the stairs. His hands clenched into fists as he sucked in a deep breath.

Shunsuke smiled again. “Is he staying here?”

Yugi swallowed. “Yes. That was my plan.”

He nodded and turned back to Atem. “And you. What were your plans?”

Atem sucked in a deep breath and bit his lip as he tried to control his nerves. “I only hope to stay with Yugi if he will have me.”

A soft smile spread across Yugi’s face.

Shunsuke nodded. “Understood.” He looked to the other two in the room with a smile. “It seems we will have another occupant in the house. We can discuss the details over dinner.”

Yugi noticeably relaxed.

Atem didn’t.

The man looked at his son. “You two should probably go make room for him, yes?”

“Yeah! Of course!” Once again, Yugi headed out of the room and up to his own, expecting Atem to be close behind.

Atem was a little hesitant to even stand up which made the father chuckle. “Don’t worry, Atem. I’m not going to be the overly protective father for long.”

“Y-yes, Thank you.” He moved woodenly towards the stair case.

Then he felt a hand pull on his shoulder. “Although, while I have the chance...”

 _Oh by the Gods no_. He turned to see a tight smile on Shunsuke’s face.

“If I find out you’ve hurt him in anyway, I’ll find your old tomb just so I can refresh the corpse inside. Have I made myself perfectly clear?”

Atem felt like he might pass out. He opened his mouth, the usually deep confident voice only able to squeak out a ‘yes.’

“There’s a good boy.” He gently pushed Atem in the direction of the stairs. “Run along. He’s probably wondering what’s taking so long.”

The pharaoh couldn’t get out of there fast enough. He was noticeably pale and clammy by the time he reached the bedroom. As soon as he stepped into the room, Yugi blinked before realization came over him. He sighed and wrapped his arms around Atem.

Atem hugged him back but his thoughts were elsewhere. Somewhere in his mind was the one who could possibly bring harm to Yugi.

He could see the silhouette of Yami with nearly every move of his eyes. He filled the room like an extra shadow that was impossible to ignore. He shut his eyes tight and shivered.

Yugi chuckled. “Does he really intimidate you that much?” He pulled back and smiled at him. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

Atem couldn’t help but smile. Gently, he leaned his forehead against Yugi’s. “My hero.”

 _Adorable_.

The pharaoh wished he could shut him off and forget about him, if only for an hour.

- 

Atem couldn’t sleep.

It wasn’t that insomnia hit or even having anything to do with jetlag. He knew if he curled up against Yugi, he would have no issue drifting off.

Atem couldn’t sleep simply because he no longer had any intention of doing so. Sleep meant he would have to face Yami again on the other’s terms. And he still didn’t know what to do about the apparition. Ryo gave him ideas, but he wasn’t sure just how to initiate them.

Carefully as possible, Atem pulled himself out of Yugi’s grip and climbed out of bed. His partner stirred in response but then relaxed as sleep took a tighter hold on him.

He took a moment to stop and admire Yugi. The years and events have aged the boy, but it somehow made him look more delicate than before. Although looks could be deceiving; had this Yugi been transported back to a time before the assembly of the puzzle or even directly after, Atem didn’t have any doubts about how differently the events would play out.

He knew exactly how much he could endure. That was something Past Yugi hadn’t encountered just yet. He grew into someone rather remarkable.

Atem took a look around the room. They didn’t have to move much around considering all the pharaoh had to call his own was a very small pile of clothes. So everything stayed untouched and very similar to Atem’s memory of the room.

Standing in it now, he felt strange. The room he once called home was something he’d have to relearn. His mind knew it well enough, but it felt alien to the touch. He supposed it was a normal sensation for such a strange circumstance.

On the desk by the window, the shine of something caught his eye. The school books have long since left the area, but a few notebooks and a cup with pens still remained near the small desk lamp. But among them was the puzzle box, incense that was burned to a small pile on a white plate, a picture, and the silver necklace with his name printed on it in hieroglyphs.

The picture was a shot of Jounouchi and Yugi in Duelist Kingdom. It didn’t take him long to realize it wasn’t really Yugi but rather the unnamed spirit of who he used to be. The possessed form smiled at Jounouchi, still completely unaware that he wasn’t simply another personality of the boy at all.

Atem reached over carefully and peeked inside the gold box. Folded papers were stacked inside, all letters in Yugi’s handwriting. A few with his name written on them.

He closed it again. He didn’t know if he wanted to read what was written. If the letters had anything in common with the makeshift alter, they were probably very personal. Atem didn’t know where ‘personal’ stood now that he and Yugi didn’t share a body. In time, they would find their balance.

He looked back at the boy curled up in bed. The bed that called silently to Atem. And the shadows that smiled at him in greetings.

He gave them a silent apology and headed out of the room as quietly as possible. He wasn’t strong enought for them. Not yet. As soon as the door was shut behind him, he walked down the hall and into the kitchen. Maybe he could find something that would keep him awake.

He paused when he noticed Masami sitting at the table with a mug in front of her. She stared directly at him, her eyes watching him curiously. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“Yes...”

She smiled softly and gestured to the seat next to her. “I’ll fix you a cup of tea.”

Atem took a step back. “No, that’s quite alright.”

“I insist.” She stood and pointed to the seat firmly. “Sit.”

With a little hesitation, the pharaoh followed the order as she pulled out another mug and filled it.

She turned and placed it in front of him. “I’m happy we finally get to meet face-to-face.”

Atem frowned. “I’m afraid I don’t understand...”

Masami didn’t need him to ask outright to know the question in his mind. She chuckled. “I knew what you were. I wouldn’t be a very good mother if I didn’t notice the transition now would I?”

“And you didn’t take the puzzle from him. Why?”

She shrugged. “To be honest, it did cross my mind. When I first heard the legends that surrounded the item, I was pretty skeptical about the possibility of that old puzzle holding any magical powers. But it was important Yugi held onto that hope that everything would get better, magically or not. So I never voiced my opinion on the subject.

“But I was proven wrong. And when a skeptic is proven wrong, it can be scary.”

As Atem thought of a certain skeptic, he considered the thought with high reluctance but did not interrupt.

“I noticed the change the second he finished it; he started wearing that collar, he began to show more interest in darker games, he would sneak out without telling anyone where he was going and not remember doing it when he came home...” She shot Atem a look. “Am I right in the assumption you had something to do with that?”

He looked away and cleared his throat.

“But I noticed noticed something more important. He opened up. He was becoming happier and much more confident.” She looked at her tea and smiled sadly. “He was such a lonely boy. I worried about him so much. But when he completed the puzzle, he gained more than just a few friends.” She looked up at him. “He gained so much strength from you.”

Atem laughed softly. “I can’t take that credit.”

“You’re allowed to take a bit because I’m going to thank you anyway.” She sipped at her tea.

“He always had the strength you see today.” Atem smiled. “I did nothing more that show him.”

She looked him in the eyes for a moment before smiling as well. “My husband is so worried you’re going to turn around and hurt him, but honestly I’ve never seen someone so in love.”

The ex-pharaoh chuckled, his face heating up as if he just stepped into the sun. The smile faded a little as Yami came back to mind. A dangerous being he himself had yet to fully understand. “I never want to hurt him.”

There was a gentle touch on his hand and he looked over in surprise. She smiled at him. “We never want to hurt the people we love. Sometimes, life makes it hard.”

He looked down at her hand. It was small and delicate not unlike Yugi’s.

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand what kind of things you did to be sitting here today. I just know you did them all just in hopes of seeing my son again.” Her grip tightened. “A man who would do something like that couldn’t possibly be purposefully cruel.”

He became very interested in the tea in front of him. He could see it still swirling lazily as he thought about her words.

“And so long as you’re here, you can consider this your home.”

He looked back up at her. “Thank you. Really.” This woman has done more for him than she could ever know, even if it was only letting her son hold onto his wish. He looked at the pale hand gripping his and sighed. “I’m just....”

“Afraid?” She nodded. “That’s good. It shows you’re human.” She patted his hand and let go. “Anyone in your situation would be terrified, I’m sure. But it’ll all fall into place in time. Complicated things never run smoothly, even when we double check every step in front of us.”

Although he knew there was no way Masami knew about Yami, the words brought comfort to Atem.

As if she sensed this, Masami stood up and patted him on the shoulder. “Everything will work out in the end.” She left him alone in the kitchen after that. Atem sat at the table for a while, barely touching the tea in front of him.

Was she right? he believed everything would eventually work out. But was she right that if there was pain, there was little he could do to prevent it.

A shadow flickered on the wall and drew Atem’s eye. He could see it glaring at him, arms crossed. Yami was getting impatient with him.

He was not about to give into the other.

Atem stayed with the tea until it was unpleasantly cold. Only then did he return to Yugi’s room where his partner was still sound asleep.

He climbed into bed as quietly as possible and spent the night counting Yugi’s eyelashes to stave away sleep.

Yami could wait a little longer.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest, this chapter was a little bit of a filler. But I wanted to write in Yugi's parents.  
> Also, all of the renames have attachments to the show via voice actors. If there's any part that actually tells us the names of his mother and father, just let me know.


	12. Abort Mission

Yugi wasn’t an idiot. While he’s often faulted for giving people the benefit of the doubt and trying to find good in someone, he wasn’t as naive as he let on. He knew some people didn’t care to turn around and he knew life was far from perfect. No matter how much he wished for it to not be true, there would always be some people who didn’t care to change. People who would step on others just to get a little bit of a boost. And, while this was typically in place for a reason, it was impossible to save them all.

But the world was already full of cynics. Why spend a lifetime following that path? Things wouldn’t get better if everyone looked down on one another.

He also knew Atem had been fighting sleep for the past few nights. It was something he hoped would stop as soon as they returned to Domino. He told himself it was the atmosphere. Maybe it was just Duelist Kingdom that kept the former pharaoh awake. After all, his last visit to the island was not a time that left happy memories of the castle.

But when he woke up that morning to find the spot that had once occupied Atem to be almost completely cold, he let out a sigh. He knew what and possibly who kept Atem from sleep but he didn’t know why. Maybe Yami was simply making it impossible to sleep. Or maybe it was Atem’s outright refusal to lay down and let himself rest.

From Yugi’s standpoint it didn’t make much sense. It wasn’t like the pharaoh to run from something like this. Unless it was a part of some plan.

He pulled himself out of bed with a stretch. He picked up his phone and noticed a list of missed calls and a few texts, all from the same number. It brought Yugi out of his thoughts and back to reality.

Right. Kaiba. After all the excitement, he forgot to call him and let him know he was back in Domino. He pressed on Kaiba’s name and brought the phone to his ear.

“It’s about time.” The gruff voice didn’t offer a hello. Just right into the conversation.

Yugi chuckled. “Ah, sorry. There was a lot to do yesterday, I didn’t have time to call you.”

He grunted in response.

“Anyway, when’s the next time you’re free?”

“I have an open hour today. Be at Kaiba Corp at 11:30.”

Yugi raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure an hour is enough time?”

“It’s plenty of time to defeat you.”

Yugi couldn’t help the soft laugh that came from his throat. “Whatever you say, Kaiba.” He looked at his clock. He had plenty of time before they would meet. “I’ll see you then.”

“Don’t be late.” Without so much as a ‘goodbye,’ Kaiba hung up with Yugi. The king wasn’t at all surprised. But now he had time to make sure Atem was properly situated in the house and work out final details to make sure everyone was happy.

He could only hope that Atem was getting along well with his father.

 

Atem had pulled himself out of bed and dressed as soon as the sun rose. He knew enough to know that was proper enough timing to make it seem like he actually rested. And if he laid there staring at Yugi any longer, he himself would fall asleep. He still didn’t want that.

If Masami noticed at all, she didn’t acknowledge. She was down in the kitchen moments after Atem. She blinked and watched from the doorway as the former pharaoh moved around. He knew the area, remembering it from the shared memories no doubt. He was able to make himself a cup of coffee without a problem.

But there was still a two year gap in his memory. Masami knew she could fill it with some tasks of her own. While he was staying here, she could at least use his assistance. “Well, Mr. Pharaoh.” She smirked as he jumped and turned to look at her. “Let’s make some breakfast before our husbands wake up.”

Atem blinked. “Hus...bands?” The word sat in his brain for a moment. It wasn’t the best description but... it wasn’t completely wrong by some standards of culture.

Masami grinned and moved around the kitchen. She would enjoy this new company.

A few hours later, she had Atem in an apron. He didn’t seem to mind helping out with the cooking, even if he sliced into his fingers a few times as he relearned which hand was his dominant. She smiled at the look of concentration in his features, the bandaged finger of his left hand helping guide the blade as he sliced into the pepper.

Shunsuke was awake almost an hour after Atem and Masami. He looked at the two and smiled softly before settling down with a cup of coffee. “I’m glad to see you’re fitting in well, Atem.”

Atem nodded and smiled back at Shunsuke. “Thank you.”

Sugoroku walked into the kitchen shortly after and Masami began to discuss with him where Atem would best be situated for the day. The conversation became a little too heated too quickly.

Atem just blinked, feeling as though he had no say in where he ended up. He only managed to get in a breath or the beginning of an answer to the question “right, Atem?”

“I could use his help down in the shop today. Those high shelves are too much ache on an old man like me. You can handle that, right Atem?”

“Y-”

“Don’t make him feel guilty by pulling the old man card! I need an extra pair of hands when I go shopping today. Atem, you’re strong enough to help me with my bags, right?”

“Uh..”

He felt a hand wrap around his forearm and he turned to see Shunsuke looking at his father and wife. “It’s better to let them just work it out.” He let go of Atem in favor of the remote. “Let’s see what we have on the news today.”

Atem sighed through his nose. He wondered what Yugi had planned for the day. Maybe he could sneak off with him instead of shopping or working at the game shop. But from what he already knew about everyone, that was completely unlikely.

He could hear the two come to the conclusion that they could split him for the day. He deflated in defeat a little. Well, he would have to earn his keep somehow. And having a job at the game shop wasn’t too bad for someone born only a couple of weeks ago.

Atem returned to his mincing until he heard a familiar name over the TV. “No one knows where Yugi Mutou’s final opponent came from. Yuki Fudo has never made an appearance in any other duel arena that we know about. All we know is this final embrace looked like something more than just a friendly hug.”

The three watched to see the camera shot of the duel between Atem and Yugi. From their angle, Atem dropped his guard and pulled Yugi into a hug like he was clinging to the only thing that mattered in his life. It cut to an older woman with glasses standing outside a building in Domino. She grinned like someone about to raise Hell. “We decided to check in and see how Mutou’s former lover is taking the news.”

The three turned as the chopping sounds stopped abruptly. Masami and Shunsuke looked back to see Atem standing rigid. Sugoroku sucked in a deep breath as if he remembered something.

It was then that a black limo pulled up to the building and a bunch of reporters ran up to it. “And here he is now. Mr. Kaiba!”

Metal snapped at the sound of the name and all three turned back to look at one another.

“Oh dear.” Masami looked between the two. “Didn’t Yugi tell him?”

Sugoroku whispered back. “He must have forgotten in all the excitement.”

“What’s going on?” Shunsuke frowned. “Is Yugi actually seeing both of them?”

Sugoroku opened his mouth the speak before all three of them jumped at the cheerful “good morning” that came from the bottom of the stairs.

“Partner!” Atem forced a smile, his left hand still tightly gripping the handle of the broken knife. “What is this about Kaiba? Have I returned at an inappropriate time?” Maybe that was why Kaiba got so defensive to Atem’s sudden appearance.

Yugi blinked. “Kaiba?” He turned to the TV and saw the CEO being followed by some cameras. As he normally did, Kaiba didn’t stop to answer any of their questions, all of which were about the appearance of Yuki Fudo or how Yugi might be cheating on him.

“Oh...” He turned and looked at Atem again. There was a soft glow around the pharaoh that he wasn’t sure Atem noticed. “Oh!” He put his hands up in defense. “It’s a PR stunt. Mokuba put it in place about a year ago. He was asked if Kaiba and I were secretly dating, replied ‘sure, why not?’ and everyone took it from there.”

The glow calmed as Atem’s features relaxed. “So you weren’t ‘bumping uglies’ with Kaiba?”

Yugi chuckled and shook his head. “No, I wasn’t ‘bumping uglies’ with Kaiba.”

Atem blinked a few times before looking down at the handle in his hand. He turned and picked up the blade with a frown. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Mutou. I broke a knife.”

“That’s fine, dear. We can buy a new one today!” She smiled and laughed tensely.

Yugi smiled softly and took the remainder of the knife from Atem’s hand. “And I hope you’re not too jealous considering I have a duel today with Kaiba.”

“I can go with you.” Atem frowned. He then felt the cold stare of two people on him.

Yugi seemed to notice as well. He smiled tensely. “I... think it’s best you stay here and spend a bit of time getting into a routine.” Before his mother and grandfather could have the chance to kill him. “When I come home, we can start looking into flights to go see Anzu.”

Atem frowned a little deeper. As much as he wanted to go and watch the duel, he knew Yugi was right. He had to settle in first. He would be here for a while and now he took up more space than his last visit to this house. He had too many things to take into consideration. “Okay.”

“Great! Because we have a lot of work to do after breakfast.” Masami put her hands on her hips and glared at Atem. He flinched and leaned away, not even realizing she was suddenly so close until she was only centimeters from him.

Somehow, Sugoroku had teleported next to her with a matching glare and his arms crossed. “A lot to do, indeed.”

Atem was suddenly wishing there was a puzzle he could disappear into. He smiled awkwardly at them. “Of course. I’m sorry.”

Everything calmed down for breakfast. Atem had done a majority of the cooking under the guidance of Masami. Yugi could tell by the way she was directing him that his mother was probably trying to rear him as her own, personal housekeeper. He wasn’t too sure how that would work out in the long run, but it made for an entertaining display. The image of Atem in a frilly housekeeper dress popped into Yugi’s mind. He certainly had the legs to pull off a uniform like that.

It was then he realized there was a set of eyes on him. Atem raised an eyebrow in his direction and, for a moment, Yugi wondered if there was still some part of them that shared a mind space. It was possible Atem’s soul room had the small, new addition of the door randomly placed within. Could he still get snippets of his mind?

Yugi gave him a sheepish smile. It could just as simply be Atem knowing his partner well enough to have an idea of his thoughts.

Atem smirked a little at him. No, he couldn’t read his mind. He just knew Yugi. And he knew that glazed over look very well. He just sort of wished he knew the details of it.

If it was important, he was sure he’d know them soon.

The conversation of the day’s work planned for Atem picked up again as soon as the dishes were cleaned. Yugi couldn’t help but feel a little lucky he wasn’t caught in his partner’s position. He tried to help by throwing in his two cents only to have it mostly ignored unless it was siding with one or the other.

It was then Yugi noticed the time. He would have to run if he wanted to get to Kaiba on time. “I should get going now. If I’m late, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Of course.” Atem smiled and gave Yugi a thumbs up. “Do your best, Partner.”

Yugi grinned and nodded. “I will!”

Shunsuke jumped up from his seat and walked over to his son. “Come, I’ll give you a ride.”

The smile faded as a look of confusion started to play over Yugi’s features. “Okay.” With another goodbye to everyone, Yugi walked out the door with his father and the two fell into silence.

Masami sighed softly from her place next to Atem. “I hope they get along well.”

Grandpa nodded. “However, it would be completely understandable for Yugi to be angered by Shunsuke.”

“He isn’t.”

Both of them looked at Atem as the ex-pharaoh just stared at the door.

“There is no anger in Yugi for his father’s leaving. I know that much.” Atem glanced away from the door. “But that doesn’t mean he isn’t upset about his return.”

The two watched as he silently walked back to the kitchen.

 

In the car, Shunsuke was caught in silence with his son. He took a longer route to Kaiba Corp than necessary, knowing that Yugi wouldn’t be made late by anything he did right now. He just wanted to talk to his son; all he knew about him was either what he heard from his wife and father or what he’d seen over the news.

His job didn’t allow him a lot of time to speak with Yugi. Especially since the younger Mutou spent a lot of time out of the house.

“So, things are going well for you.”

Yugi gave him a small shrug. “Pretty well. It took a lot to get here, I guess.”

The silence settled again.

Shunsuke sucked in a deep breath. It was now or never. “Yugi... I never got the chance to say this... but I’m sorry I wasn’t-” His son simply looked at him and cut him off mid-sentence.

Yugi frowned. “You know I’ve never thought ill of you for not being here. You had your own missions.”

Shunsuke blinked. “...So you knew?”

“There was an explosion and people yelling at you in the background when you called on my tenth birthday. It didn’t take long to piece together that you weren’t an ‘accountant.’”

Shunsuke had to remember Yugi’s aptitude for solving problems. Learning what his father did for a living was probably a lot easier than figuring out what to do with an ancient spirit hanging over him.

Yugi continued. “I couldn’t hold a grudge against you for not being here in Domino. I had to grow on my own anyway. You couldn’t lead me to my strength or my confidence. I had to create my own path with people who could depend on me, not just the other way around.”

They stopped in front of the Kaiba Corp. building where the reporters were still standing. Yugi grimaced at the sight; he really hated being bombarded like this.

He turned back to his father. “But you have to understand that you can’t come back in and clear away the people you think will hurt me. The last thing I need is you to suddenly pretend you’re my savior.”

Shunsuke paused then nodded. “I understand.”

Yugi opened the door and turned back to his father. “Thank you for the ride, Father. I’ll see you at home?”

“Yes. Take care.” There was a pang of sadness and regret as his son turned away. He was right, of course. Yugi didn’t need him as a support system. What he needed were the people who proved their loyalty to his son. And he’s done his research on them all at one point. There were files back in his desk labelled vaguely so no curious glances would know just how personal the mission briefing was.

He’s read them all religiously. All people appearing in his son’s life that could possibly betray him. The Teenage Genius. The Former Gang Member. The Boy (Once) Possessed. The Pharaoh.

Maybe it was time for him to dispose of it all; Yugi was clearly doing well without his father keeping tabs on all the strange friends that stumbled into his life.

As soon as Yugi was out of the car and the door was shut, Shunsuke picked up his phone. “Mika, abort ‘Operation: Anubis.’ It seems my son-in-law-to-be won’t be going anywhere for a while.”

The voice on the other end sighed. “But we just cleared the way! The tomb is finally completely unblocked and the tunnels are completely clear. You can’t just abort now!”

There was the sound of screaming and shouts of surprise in the background. Shunsuke could hear someone call out ‘Mika run!’ “Is everything alright?”

Mika didn’t answer right away. Instead, a deep booming voice demanded everyone leave the pharaoh’s tomb at once or risk staying for all eternity.

“I’ll call you back.” Mika practically whispered in a haunted voice and hung up before Shunsuke could ask again.

He sat in the car, staring at his phone in stunned fear. What did he send his team into?

Meanwhile, his son was completely oblivious to what his father put into place. He walked through, tensing as the reporters caught sight of him and surrounded him like a cloud made of gossip and greed. “Mr. Mutou, who is Yuki Fudo?”

“Will Yuki Fudo be making more appearances in other tournaments?”

“Is it true you have terminated the relationship with Mr. Kaiba?”

He tried to just keep moving forward silently. Eyes forward, jaw clenched. Ignore them.

“What are your thoughts on the rumors that Mr. Kaiba had been cheating on you with someone overseas? Is that why you brought Yuki into the picture?”

Yugi was at the door when the last question hit his ear. He didn’t like what it implied. Atem was far from being just some tool to get back at Kaiba for a relationship that never actually existed.

He paused, debating on whether he should bother reacting to this. Typically, he would just leave it at that; let them think what they wanted. But there were too many players now. If both he and Kaiba said nothing, it wouldn’t be long before they found ‘Yuki.’

He didn’t know how Atem would react to being questioned about this. It was probably best that he take care of it before it gets that far. He turned to the reporter who asked the final question. “You were all duped by a fourteen year old boy who was sick of your questions regarding his brother’s sex life. There is no drama here. Move on to something else.” He walked in before anything else could be asked. The echoes of their increased questioning bounced off the glass of the building.

Mokuba smirked and crossed his arms as Yugi approached. “When I think I’ve seen everything, you turn around and surprise me again.”

Yugi smiled at him. “How are you, Mokuba?”

“Not too bad. Congratulations on your win at the King’s Duels, by the way.”

“Thank you. There was a lot of heavy competition this year.”

A snort came from behind him as Kaiba walked up. “You don’t have to lie about that now, Yugi. They’re not here to coddle.”

“I would never lie about something like that,” He turned and smiled brightly as he put a hand over his heart, “my Love.”

“Stop that.” Kaiba sneered at the pet name. “It’s about time that we can put that rumor behind us.”

Yugi chuckled. “It won’t be long until they find out the truth about your love life now that they know I’m not it.” He looked up as he remembered. “Speaking of which, Anzu-”

“Yes, I know. I got the phone call.” Kaiba started walking to the elevator, leaving Yugi and Mokuba to follow.

The younger Kaiba filled in the blanks for his brother. “Anzu demanded that Seto show his face at the dorms when you guys head in. We were able to find some time where he can go visit the New York offices.”

Yugi glanced up at his rival. “So he can’t use ‘work’ as an excuse.”

Kaiba crossed his arms and refused to look Yugi in the eye.

Mokuba continued. “We’ll be leaving the day after tomorrow if you wanted to take a ride with us.”

“If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

“Not at all! Right, Seto?” Mokuba grinned at his brother.

The elevator stopped before Kaiba could answer. The CEO stepped out. “We’re not here to discuss New York.”

Yugi smiled a little wider and trotted after him. Over the years, he’s become pretty good at Kaiba-nese; he knew a ‘yes’ when he heard it.

Not that Seto Kaiba had the capacity to say no to Mokuba.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm regaining my footing a bit on the story so I'm going to try and keep this at a pretty frequent pace as far as updates go.  
> Also, Yugi's dad was heavily inspired by this comic which provided me with the headcanon.   
> http://kintatsujo.tumblr.com/post/88011473073/this-is-just-my-straight-up-headcanon-for-yugis


	13. Payments

Kaiba had a habit of broadcasting his duels for the world to see. Most of them, he came out the winner and he was able to boost his ego to an even higher level. But when it was Yugi, it was mostly so everyone would know the moment Kaiba had reclaimed his title after years of fighting to get it back. Every time so far has been just another broadcasting of his defeat.

And, with it broadcasting on nearly every TV in Domino, Atem was able to get an update on the battle. As well as smirk smugly at the reaction Yugi gave to the nosey reporters outside Kaiba Corp.

Many times, Masami had to physically grab him and pull him off in the direction she needed them to go.

The shopping didn’t take as long as Atem imagined. Lucky for him considering he carried the lion’s share of the bags. They were able to find a knife to replace the one Atem broke as well as get groceries for the night’s dinner. The task of cooking was left to Masami for the day.

As soon as they returned home, Atem was dragged into the game shop to stock and clean. This movement, coupled with the lack of sleep, was starting to take a toll on his body. He knew he was overestimating how much energy the human body could endure, especially one that had little practice with anything like this before.

The sight easily registered with Sugoroku. He looked to Atem as the ex-pharaoh restocked one of the shelves. “Are you feeling alright? You could take a break if you need one.”

Atem looked to Sugoroku and shook hie head. “There’s no need, Grandpa.” He tensed and bit his tongue as the word slipped out. Sugoroku wasn’t his grandfather. “Sorry. Sugoroku.”

The old man looked at Atem in surprise. For a moment, they just watched each other tensely before Sugoroku shook his head and pulled Atem in for a hug. “No. Grandpa is fine, Atem. I don’t care if we’re not related by blood. You will always be my grandson.”

Sugoroku could feel the other’s body relax, his shoulders slumped in relief as he returned the affection. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know Atem went through a lot. He needed to be in a place where everything was stable and grounded. For all Sugoroku knew, it could have been thousands of years since he’s had any form of actual stability and sanity.

Atem was only human, after all. Regardless of the whole ‘dead pharaoh coming back to life’ thing, he still needed to know he was in a place where he was safe. And if the grip back was any proof, Sugoroku knew Atem needed some things to stay as he remembered.

The front door opened and the two men separated from one another.

Jounouchi blinked and looked between the two. “I’m not interrupting anything, right?”

“Not at all.” Sugoroku smiled at the young man. “How are you doing today, Jou? Everything okay at home?”

Jou shrugged casually. “Getting better. Definitely been worse.” His look turned to one a little more serious. “Heard Yugi’s old man was back. How’s that going?”

Sugoroku looked to Atem to see the tan face pale just a fraction. He turned to Jou with a smile. “Will you be joining us on our trip to see Anzu?”

“That bad, eh?” Jou couldn’t help but chuckle. A man who had once drove people to insanity for pissing him off being afraid of anyone was an interesting sight. He allowed the conversation change and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Nah, not this time. Gonna go visit my sister and see how she’s doing.” He rubbed the back of his head with the thought before he himself moved on. “Got any new things in?”

Sugoroku shook his head and chuckled. “Not since you guys left. New cards don’t come out that fast, Jou. You know that.”

“Hey, there’s been plenty of time!”

Atem snorted and pushed a few more boxes into place on the shelves. “Not if you’re hoping for something substantial.”

“I can make a ‘substantial’ card right now.”

Atem raised an eyebrow at Jou. “Oh?”

The taller duelist paused with a thought. “Uh... A card that... allows you to... draw two cards?”

The ex-pharaoh looked at him flatly.

Sugoroku spoke up then. “Atem, if you’re done putting those games on the shelf, could you clean off the dust on the top shelves?”

“Of course.”

Jou followed Atem around with a slow saunter. “Ah, so you’re working the game shop? No wonder I didn’t see you in the background of Yugi and Kaiba’s duel.” He watched as his friend picked up the latter and carried it over to the shelves.

Atem chuckled as he climbed the latter. “It probably would have been a better view in person.”

“Yeah, Kaiba’s ‘defeated’ face is always better in person.”

Atem tried to hide his smile as he cleared the shelf.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.”

Atem turned to Jou so the other could see his smile. “I know exactly what you’re talking about.”

The two shared a laugh at the expense of the billionaire as Yugi walked back into the shop. He didn’t ask what was so funny; he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. He just looked at Atem, happy to see the other this carefree with someone.

Any worry about him adjusting began to fade from Yugi. Now, there was only one thing to worry about.

 

As night came, Yugi didn’t take his eyes off his partner. While he still put on a good show for most of the night, the dark circles under his eyes were beginning to weigh on him. His eyes were closing for much too long than necessary for a blink.

He sighed softly. It echoed around the bathroom and bounced around the shower as he shut it off. Atem couldn’t keep this up.

He ran a towel through his hair until it was no longer dripping. With another around his waist, he padded to his room where he found his boyfriend, still fully clothed and looking out the window with a frown. It was late; everyone else in the house was fast asleep. His father would be waking up possibly in a few hours to catch an emergency flight back to work.

Atem didn’t seem to notice Yugi until the other was touching him, his head resting on his shoulder and his arms wrapping around his waist. He placed a hand over one of Yugi’s and smiled. “What’s on your mind, Partner?”

Yugi was silent for a moment as the other hand worked its way up to his chest. “I love you.”

Yugi wasn’t saying anything Atem didn’t already know. If he didn’t know this, he probably would have bothered coming back. But to hear it said brought on a feeling he wasn’t especing. A small moment of surprise that was quickly overtaken by a lull of calm he couldn’t be sure he’s ever felt. “Yugi...”

“Don’t feel pressured to say it back. I know you feel the same.” He gripped Atem a little tighter. “I just wanted to remind you that you’re safe now. And let you know that you can talk about this whole thing with Yami when you’re ready.”

For a moment, Atem had forgotten that Yugi knew about this. If it’s gotten this far, Yugi must be overly worried. Carefully, he turned and pulled his partner in his arms. “Thank you.” The lack of sleep was catching up. He could feel his guard slipping despite himself. Sleep was necessary.

Deep in the confines of Atem’s soul, a little shadow creature rejoiced and smiled a little victory. Feeling that made the real Atem’s stomach churn.

What scared him most was knowing there was nothing he could do about it. And as they got ready for bed, Atem could do nothing but hope this wouldn’t end with his partner in pain.

They drifted off to sleep. Yugi stayed awake just long enough to listen for Atem’s breathing to even out. A little bit of concern chipped away from him as he heard it.

He wasn’t far behind. He curled up at his partner’s side and fell to sleep himself. It wasn’t even an hour later that a faint glow filled the room.

Inside, Atem looked around wildly as realization struck. He was back in the throne room.

He let out a loud growl of frustration. He let his guard down too much.

He knew Yugi meant well. He wanted Atem to not only survive but to be able to live a comfortable and healthy life. He couldn’t fault him for that. But there was still another piece that haunted him. One of which he still didn’t know how to handle. He knew he was running out of time and he couldn’t put this off anymore. But that didn’t stop him from trying.

And he knew by the look on the phantom’s face that he couldn’t put it off any longer. “You’ve been avoiding me.” Yami looked at Atem with crossed arms and a frown. He pushed himself off the pillar where he was leaning.

Atem turned and glared at him but said nothing.

Yami scoffed. He didn’t hesitate to fill in the dead air. “You forget your nerve, Pharaoh. It wasn’t long ago when you drove people to see their nightmares. You- We ripped apart souls before the day could even begin! Don’t you remember?”

Atem growled. “I remember it well. Sometimes better than I remember my life before any of this. But that doesn’t stop the fact that I’ve moved passed it. I’ve grown.”

Yami rolled his eyes. “You can grow from something but find yourself returning to old ways, even if it’s only for a moment. Nostalgia is a powerful phenomenon.”

“This wouldn’t be nostalgia. What we did was more like a drug than a pass-time. This would be a relapse.”

He shrugged. “Perhaps. But whatever you wish to call it, it’s only for one last body to add to the count.” Within the blink of an eye, Yami was very close to him. A hand rested on his shoulder and the phantom’s mouth near his ear. He spoke the words softly. It was as if he were telling him a secret. “I only ask for one life. It’s only a man like those from before. The scum of this world.” Yami’s hand worked its way down Atem’s arm.

The ex-pharaoh didn’t remember reaching out.

“If I could shed the blood myself and save us both the headache, I would. However, to ensure your life in this world, it has to be you.” At that last word, Atem was suddenly very aware of his surroundings. He was very aware of the heavy clothing on his back and the hood on his head, his knees planted firmly on wet concrete. He was very aware of his outreached arm holding the broken blade from the Mutou kitchen.

And he was very aware that he was straddling a quivering mess of a human being; a man he’s never met before now. If they were standing side by side, the man would tower over him. He had enough muscle to lift Atem off his feet and throw him out of the alley they were currently in.

But it seemed he couldn’t gain the upper hand or had at least stopped trying. Between blubbering breaths, he begged for his life.

Atem could hardly hear it as he reoriented himself and pulled himself to his feet. He couldn’t get the words in to speak. He stumbled away from the man as he did the only thing he could think to do in order to save this stranger’s life.

He ran.

It didn’t take him long to reorient himself and find that he knew this area. He could get home from here; he wasn’t far from the game shop.

Yami followed behind like a shadow, clicking his tongue in disappointment. _The payment will increase for every missed opportunity, you know. This will only end in further pain for you unless you return to the man in the alley now._

Atem paused at the voice. Yami had taken over his body. If he somehow gained control again, who knew what he would do? It would put Yugi and his family in trouble, especially if Yami was looking to punish him for not taking that man’s life.

Atem swallowed thickly and turned around. He wouldn’t put his partner in danger. He would have to find another place for the night.

 _Do not test my patience, Your Highness._ Yami growled.

He needed help. And he needed it now. As much as it pained him to drag someone else into this situation, Atem headed in the direction of someone who would hopefully know exactly how to handle this.

 

Ryo’s eyes snapped opened as he heard the sound of desperate banging on his door. He was still staring at his bedroom ceiling, meaning he himself never moved to cause anyone any trouble. A quick glance at the clock told him it was three in the morning. No sane person should be up now, much less be visiting him.

But the urgency of the knocks forced Ryo to his feet. This had to be important. He stood up and hurried to the door. He blinked when he opened it as the shorter form leaned against the newly opened threshold. Something fell to the ground and clattered against the floor.

Ryo blinked. “Atem?”

“Forgive me for being here at such a late hour, Ryo.... I,” He shook and looked around as if something were following him, “I didn’t know where else to go.”

Ryo pursed his lips and nodded before stepping out of the way to let Atem into the apartment. He picked up the knife and looked at it closely before shutting the door and locking it tight.

 -

“He took over?”

Atem nodded and looked down at his laced fingers. His body still continued to shake. “I didn’t realize he was in control until I was hanging over that man.”

Ryo pursed his lips and let out a sigh through his nose. That was a feeling he know all too well. And from the shaking shoulders and stunned expression, this was Atem’s first black out in regards to Yami.

He walked out of his small kitchen with two cups of tea. He placed one on the table in front of Atem before sitting down next to the other man. “But he didn’t bring the knife down on the man himself. That has to mean something.”

Atem stared at the mug. “It isn’t apart of the rules. He won’t shed the blood because it’s not his body." He clenched his jaw for a moment. "But there’s no saying that is the way it will stay. This could end in a mass killing spree.” Maybe he should have just bit the bullet and taken that man’s life. The blood would be something he’d never be able to undo but at least this would be over.

But then, would he be able to face Yugi again after doing something like that? Absolutely not.

Ryo sighed heavily and nodded with a grimace. “I know the feeling.” He leaned back and took a sip from his mug. “I have a temporary fix, but I can only promise it working for a few days. A week at most depending on your tolerance level.” He didn’t know how strong willed Yami was. Odds are he would catch on quick. But if he was waiting until Atem was sleeping, then he couldn't be too terribly strong. “And, for the time being, you’ll be stuck inside with him. So long as you’re okay with that.”

Atem thought about it. Yami wasn’t terribly happy with him currently; he could tell that much without even looking for the phantom. He just felt the coldness of the eyes on the back of his head. The ill intent that made him wonder if it was even a good idea to come here. If Ryo was wrong about this, he could end up n the wrong end of a knife.

Looking at Ryo, Atem could tell the other wasn’t worried about any harm that could come to him for being here. He felt as if Ryo either didn’t know the extent of this power or he long since underestimated the power Bakura actually possessed in his time here.

Atem finally nodded. “If I can keep him from taking me somewhere again, I can handle being trapped in my soul room with him.”

Ryo jumped up. “Then you’ll stay here tonight so I can keep an eye on you.” He walked into the other room. He could only hope this would work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *wipes forehead* This chapter gave me a bit of trouble.  
> And that is totally the only reason I took so long to get it written (she says as she pushes her growing obsession with Undertale under a table.)  
> Hopefully, the next chapter won't take this long... I'll try to abstain from another abrupt hiatus.


	14. Route

The sun beams came in at the perfect angle to hit Yugi right in face, stirring him from his sleep despite his need to stay right where he was. He rolled over, expecting to run into the warmth of another body. Instead, his face met with a piece of paper.

He sighed into it. “Dammit, Atem...” Maybe he was right the first time and it was Yami keeping him awake. He opened his eyes and looked at the paper torn from one of his notebooks.

His eyes shot open wider as the messy handwriting registered in his mind. It was rushed and angry. Some lines looked as though they threatened to cut clean through the paper.

_‘Thank you for the assistance, Little Yugi.’_

Yugi’s heart stopped as a cold chill ran down his spine and found its home in the pit of his stomach. He jumped out of bed and immediately grabbed his clothes. How far could a possessed Atem have gotten in the hours he was asleep? He thought about all the things Yami could have done in that time. His parents and grandfather weren’t sleeping too far from him. If any of them were awake, they could easily be victims of this malevolent spirit.

He picked up his phone and found a message from Ryo. ‘Call me when you get this. Atem is here.’

Yugi didn’t waste any time. He left his room to find the house was still dark. With a quick peek into the other rooms, he saw that everyone was still safe.

He flew down the stairs and left the house. As he closed the door with one hand, the other pressed Ryo’s name and brought the phone up to his ear.

It took two rings for Ryo to pick up. “Hello?” He said in a hushed manner.

“Hi, Ryo. Is Atem still there? Are you two alright?” Yugi didn’t even bother trying to hide his concern as he ran down the street.

“Everyone is fine. Atem’s sleeping. It seemed he had a little trouble last night.”

“I know. I got his note.” Yugi sucked in a deep breath as he tried to calm himself a little. “I’m on my way.” It was times like these he wished he thought ahead and got some other means of transportation. His legs could only carry him so fast.

Yugi nearly tripped as he turned the corner and ran up the stairs of Ryo’s apartment complex. He was panting when he stopped in front of his door and knocked.

Ryo was at the door only a few seconds later. “That was fast.”

Yugi sucked in a couple of deep breaths to collect himself. He stood up straight and looked at his friend. “Sorry.... to put you through all this trouble, Ryo.”

“It’s no trouble at all.” He stepped out of the way in order to let the small duelist pass.

Yugi didn’t waste any time. As soon as he walked in the door, he looked around for any signs that Yami was the one here.

Aside from the kitchen knife on the coffee table next to a book on the occult, nothing seemed out of place.

Ryo didn’t need Yugi to ask any questions. He gestured to the bedroom furthest from the door. “He showed up last night and told me that Yami had taken control of his body. He came to when he was about to kill someone.”

Yugi clenched his jaw as he stared at the knife. It could have gone much worse, he knew. But this wasn’t exactly ideal circumstances. He pulled his gaze away from the table and strode in the direction Ryo pointed. Carefully, he opened the door to find Atem curled up into a tight ball on the covers. He shook slightly and grunted to himself, but otherwise didn’t wake up.

“How?”

Ryo pursed his lips. “Sleeping pills. Yami can try and pull control, but the body isn’t going to move if it's drugged.”

Yugi turned and frowned at Ryo. So many things worried him about that statement. He knew well that Ryo was able to subdue Bakura with this a few times before the thief caught on and learned ways around it. But the fact that he still had some on hand made him wonder if Ryo was really taking this as well as he claimed.

He looked back at Atem with a sigh. “I’m sorry about this, Ryo. If I had known this could happen, I would’ve taken steps to prevent it.”

“Neither of you knew it would reach this level. We should focus now on where this is heading before it gets much worse.” Ryo tilted his head and looked at the sleeping form. “Hopefully this will get more information from Yami.”

Yugi sighed and carefully walked up to the bed. Atem continued to shake, his eyes moving wildly from behind his eyelids. Ryo was right, of course. This had to be ended as soon as possible. “I should call and cancel the plans with Anzu.”

Ryo looked at Yugi for a moment before shaking his head. “No. Don’t stay in Domino. The unfamiliar area might give you both an advantage over the spirit.”

“But what about Anzu? She could be dragged into this.”

Ryo raised an eyebrow at him. “Are you telling me she wouldn’t be on the first flight here if she found out you canceled because something was wrong with Atem?”

Yugi frowned at him.

“Like it or not, we’re all involved. You really should know this by now.”

He turned back to the sleeping form of his partner. Yugi knew Ryo was right. As much as he wanted to say he would handle this without causing trouble for anyone else, they would come running to help. He was lucky to have that. This wasn’t a trait he should be fighting. “Do you have any plans that keep you in Japan?”

“Are you asking me to join you in New York?”

“Yeah.” Yugi shrugged. “It might do you some good to get out of here too.”

Ryo’s lip twitched into a smile. “I wouldn’t mind seeing how this phantom haunting Atem reacts to the new area.”

Yugi nodded with a smile. “We’ll be heading out with Kaiba tomorrow. It should be fun.” He wanted to add a little more enthusiasm to the last part but couldn’t find it in him to say it to even convince himself that it was true. But there were some benefits at least. Maybe they could even find a way to end this whole ‘Yami’ situation while they were out there. Really, anything was possible now.

Atem curled up a little tighter and grunted softly but still didn’t wake up. Yugi could only hope he was handling himself well in there.

 

The soul room was darker than usual. Corners were harder to spot and the shadows behind the throne consumed that wall. Atem didn’t like this; it reminded him too much of the puzzle’s depiction.

Yami sat on the throne with his arms and legs crossed. He stared at Atem darkly like a king who was speaking to an incompetent underling. The doll that occupied the throne while he wasn’t there had fallen off and now laid on the stone floor. “You believe yourself to be clever.”

Atem just watched grimly. He might be able to get more information out of Yami if he just let the phantom rant on.

Yami tsked and uncrossed his legs to lean forward. “This isn’t changing anything about our little arrangement. And the more you hesitate, the worse this will be.” He leaned his arms on his knees and tilted his head with a smile. “Unless, of course, you’re holding back because some twisted part of your mind would miss this.”

Atem’s fists tightened at his sides.

“No. That’s far too simple, isn’t it? The truth is you want me gone, but you would rather live with this than to hurt someone again. Even if it’s a perfect stranger begging for judgement.”

“It’s not my place or yours to judge souls!” Atem glared darkly at him.

Yami didn’t look at all impressed. It was hard to tell if he was even listening. “You’re hoping another way out will just fall in your lap. That somehow, there’s an easier means to the end.” He shook his head. “You’re going to be gravely disappointed, Pharaoh.”

Atem’s face slowly returned to a neutral expression.

Yami stood up and sauntered closer. With his hands clasped behind him back, he stared at Atem like a predator. “This could have been so easy for you, Atem. Instead, you choose a more difficult route thinking you can live without a drop of blood on your hands.”

“So, there is another route?” Atem glanced into Yami’s eyes.

He was able to catch the flash of surprise before something threw him from his spot. He hit the stone wall of his room, his body jerking hard enough to where he was sure the pain registered back into the physical world.

Yami glared at him, a dark shadow slowly engulfing the phantom. But still he smiled as he knelt down over Atem’s collapsed form. “Perhaps I wasn’t giving you proper credit, my noble friend.” He dug his fingers into Atem’s hair and lifted his head, ignoring the pained grunt. “There’s more to you than I assumed.”

Atem glared at him and tried to hide the ache he felt from being tossed in such a manner. “What are you?”

Yami’s smile faded. He let go of the ex-pharaoh. “It should be obvious to you. I’m the being of your last trial. The monster you created in the wake of your own selfish desires.” The phantom backed away and headed for the throne once again.

Atem pushed himself to his feet and watched the retreating form. “Then what happens to you when I win?”

Yami turned and raised an eyebrow. “What an odd question. What happens to any of us?” He shrugged. “But you’re getting ahead of yourself now. Don’t let arrogance and pride once again lead to your downfall. We both know who suffers the most in such cases.”

Yes, they did. Atem sucked in a deep breath and looked back. He hated that Yami was right. He hated everything about this situation.

Yami fell back into the chair and crossed his legs again. He watched Atem as he leaned his head onto his hand and snorted. “What a pathetic heap you’ve become.”

“A ‘pathetic heap’ that has you trapped in here.”

“At what cost? You trapped yourself trying to keep me back.” He smiled widely. “Do you see the pattern here? Will you find a way to trap yourself for another few thousand years and allow this insanity to devour you completely?”

Atem growled. “This won’t go so far. I’ll find a way to be rid of you.”

Yami lifted his head and looked at him surprisingly. Then he let out a laugh that crawled up Atem’s spine and filled him with a cold feeling. “You idiot! You know how to be rid of me. I’m your easiest adversary!”

Atem glared at the shadow version of himself.

“Right right. Morals..” The phantom sighed and crossed his arms. His eyes looked out to the golden door. “Then you should get used to seeing me, shouldn’t you?”

Atem followed his gaze. That door seemed to glow a little brighter than normal. The thought alone scared him. What if it opened? Would it lead exactly where he feared? Would Yami have as much access to it as anyone?

No. Yugi would be safe. They’ve been through worse. They would survive this too.

When Atem finally woke up, he was groggy and his vision took too long to sharpen for his liking. He felt an almost lazy part of him want to roll over and go back to sleep. But the fact that he was already waking up meant Yami could get out. In that case, he couldn't trust that Ryo wouldn't become some sort of collateral damage in this fight.

Not to mention the extremely familiarly shaped blur sitting by his bed.

He blinked a couple of times. “....Partner...?” He sat up and a small, delicate hand touched his cheek.

Then pinched it and pulled.

“Ow.” He didn't reach up to stop it. Instead, he just allowed the small pain.

“Sorry. I just wanted to be sure it was really you.” Yugi let go and tilted his head slightly. “How was your sleep?”

Atem groaned and rubbed his cheek. He didn't want to think too much about it.

“That bad, eh?”

He stared down at the covers with a frown. It took him a moment before he spoke. “I'm sorry, Yugi.” His hand formed into a fist at his side. “I didn't mean for this to become...”

“Crazy and convoluted?”

“'Dangerous' is the word that comes to mind but yes.”

Yugi's hand found Atem's. He gripped it tightly. “I can do dangerous, Atem. I know it's not... ideal but we'll figure it out together. Just like we've done before.”

Atem looked down at their hands as Yugi's fingers laced in between his. What did he ever do to deserve Yugi's affection? He could spend years analyzing and trying to put the pieces together. He had a feeling he would always come up just short of an answer. “You are amazing.”

Yugi chuckled and leaned his forehead against Atem's. “I know.” The tone was playful and light. A perfect contrast to their current predicament. It was comforting.

Atem's free hand moved up and landed gently on Yugi's cheek. He leaned in and his lips grazed against his partner's.

Then someone cleared their throat in the doorway. Both turned to look at Ryo who stood their with a sheepish smile. “So sorry to interrupt.”

Yugi smiled back at his friend. “Nothing to be sorry about. We're in your home, after all. What's up?”

“Right!” Ryo's eyes lit up as the attention was redirected to the reason he walked in. “I've been doing a little research and I think I may have discovered a few interesting theories about our phantom.”

Yugi let go of Atem's hand and stood up. “Great! Let's see what we've got!”

Atem moved to stand up and follow after the two only to find his body was not as willing to cooperate as well as he might've hoped. Rather, he felt almost immediately dizzy and weak as soon as he was on his feet. He stumbled forward and fell against the wall.

He could hear barely contained laughter from his right.

“Atem?” Yugi placed a gentle hand on his arm.

He looked at his partner and gave him a smile. “I'm fine. Just... a low tolerance, I think.”

 _Lightheaded and nauseous, Pharaoh?_ Yami crossed his arms and floated by him. _Low Tolerance barely scratches the surface. You won't last long like this._

Atem ignored him as he stepped out of the bedroom with a little help from Yugi. Still, even when he was weakened like this, Yami didn't seem interested in taking control. That was proving to be a very good sign.

Hopefully, it would stay this way and make all of this worth it.

Atem found it a little hard to concentrate on most of what Ryo was saying but he was able to get the gist of it all.

“There are several places all over the world that would allow you to face against him. All you would need is to go there and challenge him. He would be able to take form to accept.”

Atem frowned. The idea of seeing Yami in this world wasn't sitting well with him. But, if it must be done... “Is there any possibility of him refusing me?”

“Probably,” Ryo said hesitantly.

“But the real question is 'why would he refuse?'” Yugi was quick to point out.

Atem looked back at Yugi. “There are many reasons for him to do so.”

“Have _you_ ever refused a challenger?”

Atem opened his mouth to agree that yes, at one point, he had. But for the life of him he couldn't think of even a single instance. His mouth closed slowly.

And Yugi filled the silence. “If he's anything like you I don't see him backing down from this. I think it's worth a shot.”

Atem looked at his partner and was suddenly fueled by the hope and determination flowing from Yugi. He grinned and nodded.

Ryo smiled right back at them. “It might take a little bit of research to find the best location for this case.”

Atem glanced over at a dark corner of the room where Yami leaned against the wall and listened to them.

“It'll give us time to prepare for it. Right, Atem?”

Yami looked at the ex-pharaoh and smirked.

“Atem?”

The soft, concerned tone made him turn and look at Yugi. Sure enough, those eyes were on him, filled with more emotions than Atem would ever be able to decipher. He smiled reassuringly at his partner. “Right.”

Yugi smiled back and returned his grip to Atem's hand. Yes, they would do this and they would succeed. Together.

-

 

The next day, Ryo was still doing research on a location for challenging Yami. This research continued even on their flight out of Domino. While they were in the air, Atem busied himself with a simple card game against Kaiba. One of which he promised wouldn't end in the two of them trying to murder one another.

It gave Yugi an opportunity to speak to Ryo. He sat in the seat next to his friend. “How did you find these places in such a short amount of time?”

Ryo laughed softly and looked up from his borrowed laptop. “I'm pretty well known around forums dedicated to this type of research.”

Yugi stared at him and silently urged him to continue. He wanted to know the truth.

“And... It's something I looked into a few years ago.” He looked back down at the screen so he didn't have to look at Yugi. “Before the Ring was returned.”

After a moment of typing, he braved another glance. When he looked up again, he saw Yugi frowning at him.

“Stop thinking about it.”

“S-sorry.” He looked away and down at his own hands. “It's just... I should have done more to help you back then. I know even willingly having your body possessed isn't easy, I couldn't even start to imagine what you,” He trailed off as he heard a shuttered breath come from Ryo.

“I-it's nothing, Yugi. Really. It's not like you didn't have your own problems.” He looked up and over where Atem was sitting. It seemed the card game was quickly turning into a heated debate that had Mokuba simply repeating his brother's name in a tone of warning and exasperation.

Yugi followed his gaze but his thoughts were far away from the argument. They were more on the person and the situation in which they were involved. Was this entire thing really helpful to Ryo at all? It wasn't for him to say. But it wouldn't hurt to ask.

When he turned to do so, he found the words were gone. Instead, Ryo turned and smiled at him as he did his best to ignore the tears welling up in his eyes. “Let's just focus on now. Later we can talk about the past.”

Yugi just stared at him for a moment before he nodded with a soft smile of his own. “Right.”

One step at a time. It played over and over as a new mantra in his head. This was the way it would have to be for a while.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry about the lack of updates... I still know exactly where I'm going with this and I have every intention of finishing it.  
> So, here I am again! Good to be back!  
> (Also, quick note: I watched DSOD and, while I may make references to it, it's not going to have any effect on where I'm going. Just think of this as a time split from the show's end...)


	15. Broken Rules

Hours later, the plane landed in New York. It was one of many cities Atem hadn't seen in his time before regaining his memories. Once he stepped out and tried to walk around, he was glad for that as people around him shoved passed him in order to get wherever they were going.

He was sure it was something that would drive him to do something he would regret. Even now, he was a little annoyed but not so annoyed to follow Yami's advice and hunt them all down to challenge them to a game. _If there is any place to find someone for a sacrifice, it would be here. We could throw a stone and it would likely hit someone deserving of our judgment._

Atem shut his eyes tightly. No, he wouldn't. He _couldn't_!

A hand found his and brought him back to the world. He glanced back at Yugi's smiling face. “And I'll have to keep a close eye on you so you don't get lost.”

He smiled and gripped the hand in his own tighter. “Thank you. That's very kind of you.”

Yugi chuckled and pressed against Atem. “Well, someone's gotta keep you from wandering off.” He winked. “I think I'm just the person for the job.”

Atem felt his face heat up as his mind went suspiciously silent.

“Ugh, would you two just get a room already? All this cutesy crap is getting a little out of hand.” Kaiba pushed passed the two and led the group towards a garage.

“I'm sure we have the time; it looks as though it's getting pretty late,” Ryo spoke up, the innuendo flying over his head.

Before anyone could acknowledge him, Yugi's phone rang. He brought it up to his ear. “Good timing. We just landed.”

“And everyone's in one piece?!”

“Yeah, I know, right? I guess miracles happen.” He watched flatly as Kaiba continued to stride away with Mokuba right at his side.

Yugi picked up his own place, his grip still on Atem. He glanced over to make sure Ryo was keeping up as well and he spoke again. “Are you in your dorm?”

“Yeah, everyone's pretty much locking up for the night. I could still let you guys in but I can't promise it'll be all that entertaining.”

“It's alright; we can just meet up in the morning. Sorry about the late flight. _Someone_ didn't want to leave Japan, I guess.”

Anzu rolled her eyes so hard it was practically audible to Yugi. “Stubborn as always.” There was a moment of silence before she spoke up again. “How's Atem adjusting?”

Yugi hesitated for a moment before he responded as happily as possible. “Pretty good! Would you like to speak to him?”

She gasped as if she was offended by the very idea. “I don't want our reunion interaction to be over the phone! It can wait until tomorrow!”

He laughed awkwardly. “Okay then. I'll be sure to tell him you said 'hi.'”

“And make sure he's ready for me to see him tomorrow!” She called into the phone as if she wanted Atem to hear her through it. Then, she spoke at her normal volume again. “Anyway, I just wanted to check in and see if your flight landed. I'll see you guys tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I should probably catch up to Kaiba before he decides to drive off without us again. Sleep well, Anzu!”

“You too, Yugi. Try not to stay up too late.”

A blush took over Yugi's cheeks. “I-I'll try. Later!” The heated face didn't go away even as he hung up the phone. He turned to Atem who stared back at him with a look of adorable confusion.

Yugi cleared his throat. “Let's get going before we have to walk to the hotel.” He gripped Atem and walked a little faster. He was almost surprised to find Kaiba impatiently waiting by one of the cars in the garage. “Decided to wait around this time?”

Kaiba smirked. “You didn't bring along anyone overly annoying.” He glanced at Atem and Ryo.

“Thanks... I think.” Ryo responded with a frown.

Atem just raised an eyebrow.

Kaiba walked around to the driver side while Mokuba climbed into the front passenger seat. “You guys better get in before he changes his mind.”

They climbed in quickly, the doors barely shut before the car sped off and out of the garage, cutting off several cars in the process.

 

-

 

Atem nearly had several heart attacks by the time they had gotten to the large, high-end hotel. Much to Yami's disappointment, he survived them all. That would have made him the winner of their little game. Although, the phantom couldn't be all that disappointed.

Not when he was transfixed by the pleasures and state of mind Atem was brought into only a couple hours later. He kept silent from his place on the soul room's throne as he watched Yugi through Atem's eyes. Yes, he still wasn't strong enough to yank control from the pharaoh or even feel all the sensations and emotions of his counterpart. But he was able to see the view of Atem's whole world. And boy, did Yugi put on a show. He writhed and moved on Atem's lap and let out a breathy laugh when the pharaoh would moan out his name. His movements nearly had the other completely undone.

It was an interesting sight, one that did nothing to curb Yami's curiosities. He wondered what it would be to touch him and feel something.

He was barely paying attention when Atem returned to the room as the body was forced into another drug-induced slumber. He closed his eyes and leaned his head on his fist as if he were bored.

But that was far from the case.

In that hotel room, Atem's body twitched ever so slightly. Slowly, it pushed itself up onto its forearms. And then, with as much power as Yami could muster, he forced it to snap open its eyes.

Something inside of him called out an order to stop but he wasn't here to listen to him. Yami looked around and, with a quick sweep of the room, determined all sharp and pointy object were either nonexistent or hidden. Most likely by the form sleeping next to him.

He looked at Yugi and wondered about this human. This mortal being that caused all of this turmoil. His memories pulled from Atem's and found the time when the spirit was wild and dangerous. How, with time and patience, this boy was able to tame him.

It was strange, to say the least.

He reached out and brushed a bit of blond hair away from Yugi's face. Looking at him, even now, he felt very little. It would appear Atem's affection was one thing that never carried over to Yami. A strange discovery. One small part of him wondered why. His contemplation removed him from his original plan and, instead, gave Atem room to jerk him back into the soul room.

“Not again.” Atem snarled at him as the body's head hit the pillow. “ _Never_ again!”

Yami scoffed. “So dramatic.”

It wasn't a complete waste; he now knew more and he could create a proper strategy. First, he needed to remind Atem that he was not something within the pharaoh's control.

 

-

 

The next morning, Atem woke up feeling as if he could sleep for another three thousand years and it still wouldn't be enough. But he had no choice; he had to get up.

There was a finger poking at his cheek. He opened his eyes and looked to see a fully dressed and clean Yugi laying at his side, watching him with his head propped up on his other hand.

The smile on his face spread wider. “Good morning, Sunshine!”

Atem didn't smile back. Instead, he rolled toward Yugi and wrapped his arms around his partner. He nuzzled into his neck and ignored the indignant noise of protest from Yugi. “Good night.”

“Oh no, you don't!” He pushed at Atem in attempt to get away. “We can't stay in bed all day.”

“Mhm.” He nuzzled closer.

“Maybe you should shower. It might help you wake up.”

“Mhm.”

“That means you're gonna have to let me go.”

“....Mhm...” He kissed Yugi's neck, just above the collar where he knew the skin was especially sensitive.

“A-Atem... What-”

Then he bit him in the same spot.

The sensation caused Yugi's body to jolt and the blood to rush and pool near his face and neither regions. He forced Atem away from him and glared. “Enough, you vampire!” He jumped out of bed as soon as he was out of Atem's grip.

He laughed. “Yugi, come back. I'm sorry!” He didn't know what exactly came over him but the look on his partner's face made the entire moment worthwhile. He pushed himself up and grinned. “I can make it up to you.”

The red on Yugi's face deepened before he cleared his throat and looked away. “Make it up to me by getting yourself cleaned up. We don't want to keep everyone waiting.”

Atem pulled himself from the bed and headed into the bathroom. His steps were a bit more sure than the day before. He was sure it had something to do with the amount of sleep more than any type of tolerance building but one could hope.

The shower did well to wake him a bit more. And, while he expected to be watched or hear some sort of comment from his phantom, Yami stayed surprisingly quiet.

Atem decided it was best not to question it. Maybe he could have a day without having to worry about what this being wanted him to do. Maybe this could be the beginning of a normal day. And that might lead to a, dare he think it, normal life.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, Yugi was standing by the mirror, checking the new mark on his neck. He looked at Atem through the mirror. “Feeling better?”

His mind unwillingly made a quick flash and he saw back to the night before. The smaller man had his head thrown back, his lips parted just enough to allow him to whisper out Atem's name like a desperate prayer. His fingers tightly gripped Atem as-

He shook it off and returned himself to reality. To Yugi, very much dressed and still standing by and staring at him. “Yes.” He smiled. “Very much so.”

“Good. Because later I'm going to have to get you back for this.” He pointed to the mark that was still a little red from Atem's teeth.

Atem smiled at him. “I look forward to it.” The smile widened when he saw Yugi blush again. He liked that look.

Yugi composed himself and walked up to Atem. There was a look in his eyes that made all the earlier confidence fly out the window. They sparkled with a mischief Yugi only reserved for when he was feeling particularly frisky. He opened his mouth to get another word in only to fall short.

“Atem.” His name was whispered softly.

“Y-yes?”

Something was pushed into his arms. “Get dressed. We can't keep Anzu waiting.”

Atem looked down at the clothing then nodded at his partner. They did have someone to meet today; as much as he wanted to just spend the day here, he knew it wasn't possible.

That was fine. He could happily be in Yugi's presence and that would be enough.

 

-

 

The dorms weren't too far from the hotel so when they walked out to Ryo informing them Kaiba and Mokuba had already left, Yugi figured he'd already had to meet up with Anzu.

He wasn't at all surprised when he found Anzu waiting for them in the lobby without a Kaiba in sight.

He saw her first and smiled. “Hey, Anzu!”

She turned and smiled at the sight of her old friend. “Yugi! Ryo!” She trotted up to them and smiled for a moment. Then, the smile fell a bit.

Atem looked at her for a moment before looking down at the ground. “Hello, Anzu.”

She stepped around the two and took a closer look at him. For a moment, Yugi feared she might start yelling at him. There was a time when she said he would be in for the screaming of a lifetime if he were to return. He remembered the moment pretty well; it was directly after she asked how long Yugi'd been in love with the pharaoh.

But there was no screaming. She didn't yell at him at all. In fact, she didn't say anything as she pulled him in and hugged him. “You really _are_ back.”

Atem tensed before slowly wrapping his arms around her as well. “I am. It's good to see you, Anzu.”

Yugi smiled softly at the two.

When Anzu pulled back, her hand immediately went to her eyes and quickly wiped away the moisture coming from them. Her smile fell just a little as she looked around for a missing party. “So, where's Kaiba?”

“He left earlier this morning,” Ryo said quietly.

It didn't matter how soft the voice, Anzu's reaction would have been the same. She looked at Ryo for a moment with a blank expression before it morphed into a glare. Then, she pulled her phone out of her pocket.

It was a few tense seconds of it being up to her ear before she spoke. “You better be heading to the dorms, Kaiba! I'm not playing this game with you. If you're not standing by that door by the time we get there, I will come down to your office and drag you out of there myself!” She hung up just as abruptly as she began her talking, her thumb making an audible 'click' against the screen.

Then, with a tense breath, she looked at her friends and smiled widely. “How about we get something to eat?”

Yugi and Ryo gave an awkward laugh while Atem just watched on with confusion. Moments later, they were walking out of the hotel and out into the busy streets where Ryo caught his attention about a few of the things he could do to attempt to calm Yami.

Yugi and Anzu trailed behind them for a moment. For a moment, they just watched the two talk as Ryou showed Atem something he'd found. The conversation didn't make much sense to Anzu from the small bit she was able to hear. She turned to her friend. “So, they're getting along pretty well.”

Yugi nodded. “Yeah. I was a little worried they'd fight, at first. But I think this is exactly what they need.” He looked over to see a confused look on Anzu's face. He tensed and thought of a proper explanation. “I mean... you know, because of the whole Bakura thing...”

If Anzu didn't believe that was all there was to it, she didn't say anything to catch Yugi in leaving out information. Instead, she just smiled and looked back at them. “That is something the two of them need to heal from.” Her eyes narrowed at Yugi. “Speaking of healing...”

“Huh?”

She pointed to his neck with a frown. “What happened to you?”

He touched the spot where she was pointing then remembered this morning. The heat returned to his face again, only glowing brighter when Anzu's face morphed into one of understanding. “Oh.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Yugi could see Atem's lip twitch into a smirk.

“Oh! This is the place!” Anzu gestured for the group to follow her into a small store.

They didn't spend long inside. Shortly after walking in, they walked out with a bag full of bagels and a box filled with coffee. The stride quickened on the way back as if Anzu remembered she was on a mission.

And when they walked into the building that held their dorm rooms, her eyes narrowed at the tall, thin man standing at the end of the hallway with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

She pushed the bag into Atem's hands and stormed up to Kaiba. “You are going to fix this monster you created.”

Kaiba raised an eyebrow at Anzu. “What are you talking ab-!” Before he could finish his sentence, she grabbed him by the collar and threw open the door.

She dragged him in. “She's been sitting there for a full week!”

Yugi chuckled awkwardly. “Oh boy...”

Atem frowned in confusion. The three of them followed the two in and the former pharaoh was able to see why Anzu was so mad.

Facing away from them against a far wall was another woman with hair that was nearly white. Her skin was just as pale which made her look like a ghost in an oversized sweater and sweatpants. She didn't acknowledge anyone who walked in and, instead, just continued to type away on her computer.

Kaiba looked at her then back at Anzu casually. “She's working.”

If looks could kill, Kaiba would be struck down so hard his body would collapse into ash. But, like a switch, she turned and smiled at her roommate and spoke in English. “Kisara? We have company.”

“Uh huh.... Hi everyone.” Her voice was soft and distracted. “Is it Monday already?”

“Saturday, actually.” Anzu's smile tensed before she turned once again. “Would you like to say something?”

Everyone looked to Kaiba.

Kaiba sighed and stepped forward. “Kisara, get some rest.”

“Uh huh, I'll clean it in a minute.”

He sighed through his nose and touched her forearm.

That seemed to get her attention. She turned and looked at him. Her blue eyes were so bloodshot they looked almost completely red. “Seto. When did you get here?”

“Sleep. You're scaring Anzu.”

She looked back at the computer then looked at Kaiba again. “There's something wrong and I can't find it.”

“I'll look for it.” He took her hand and pulled her out of her chair.

Atem watched carefully, his eyes locked onto the girl. It didn't take a genius to realize who she was. But the questions that echoed in his head was how and why.

As Kaiba convinced the girl to follow him, Atem turned to Yugi. “Is that...?”

Yugi turned and looked at Atem in surprise. “You mean you didn't know?”

He shook his head. “From the looks of it, she's been here for as long as all of you.” He crossed his arms and tilted his head in thought.

Yugi frowned. “You mean...”

“I was still trapped in the puzzle when she was born. Someone else gave her life.” He glanced up at Kaiba as the other walked back out of the room and shut the door behind him. “I have an idea on 'who.'”

He half expected Yami to put in his two cents. Possibly a comment on how this was extremely unconventional. But there was silence; as if the phantom was no longer there. Atem knew better than to believe it.

Atem looked at them all. “Does she know who she is?”

Anzu shook her head. “At least I don't think she does. She hasn't said anything that shows she does aside from being very drawn to dragons.”

“For the best, then.”

Kaiba shot an accusing look at Atem. “Yet you remember everything.”

Atem sighed and looked at Kaiba as if he were already tired of this fight. “I would rather not forget again if that's what you mean. But there are different rules for her and I. Which is why she was born normally.” He frowned again. “She _was_ born normally, right?”

Anzu nodded. “Yeah, she has a family.”

“Her mother died during childbirth,” Yugi said softly, in a tone as if he just realized something.

Ryo's jaw locked as both of them looked to Atem.

The room fell silent for a long moment before Kaiba cleared his throat. “Right. So now that this conversation is over, I'm going to move on to more important tasks.” He turned and looked at Kisara's computer, looking over the coding that kept the girl from sleep.

They all looked at him as his eyes shifted around the screen. Something about the situation lightened the mood considerably.

Yugi placed a bagel and a cup of coffee on the desk next to Kaiba. He smiled up at him. “You'll probably be here for a while, won't you?”

He glanced at the other duelist but didn't say anything.

Yugi pulled away as he took the silence as a 'yes.' He was still smiling when he looked at this friends. “How about we do some exploring?”

 

-

 

When Yugi said 'exploring' Anzu knew exactly what he meant. In the time she's been in New York, she found quite a few game stores she knew would interest her friend. And they clearly didn't disappoint as all of them looked through the games like excited kids.

It didn't surprise her at all when Ryo also pointed out the museums and everyone agreed with enthusiasm.

They spent the entire day out around the city. When it was time to head back, everyone rode the subway tiredly. She looked over to see Yugi leaning against Atem's shoulder, barely in his own seat in an attempt to get closer to the other. Atem's cheek was pressed against the top of Yugi's head, forcing the other's hair down against his head and pressing it into a somehow even less tame position. They held hands, the linked fingers resting on Atem's lap. Both of them had their eyes closed and Atem wore a small, peaceful smile.

Anzu quickly took a picture of the scene.

Atem's eyes open at Anzu's shifting. He looked over at her without moving his head.

She smiled sheepishly and spoke in as much of a hushed voice as she could. “Sorry. I thought you were asleep.”

“I'm... a light sleeper.”

Ryo snorted from behind his new book but didn't say anything.

Anzu didn't acknowledge it and, instead, just continued to study the two. She watched as he looked down at Yugi with a soft tenderness that could possibly melt even the most stubborn of hearts. She sighed. “You know, I wanted to give you a whole speech on how you better treat him right or else I'd hunt you down no matter where you go and make your life Hell.”

He looked back at her. “I'm listening.”

“I can't do it when you're looking at him like that. It makes it feel like a moot point.” She looked down at their linked hands again. “So, just... I'm glad you came back.”

He blinked at her in surprise. Then, slowly, a soft smile came over him. “I'm glad as well.”

The train announced the next stop and Anzu prepared to get off. “Well, here we are.”

Atem turned back to the sleeping form and spoke more into his hair than anything. “We're there, Partner.”

Yugi shifted and grunted as he opened his eyes and looked up at Atem. He smiled sleepily.

The tender look returned as Atem smiled back.

They stayed in the city for nearly a week. The days Anzu was in class or studying were times the rest of them were left to their own devices. Mokuba and Kaiba spent a bit of time in the office before the younger brother was able to drag the other away. Mostly to convince him to work with Kisara.

Atem was still tense around Kisara. The girl was friendly enough; she didn't talk much unless the situation was of particular interest to her where she would then babble on about those interests. He was happy to find it was mostly games that caught her attention and she would talk about the one she was developing herself. She made for interesting conversations during the day.

During the night was not as interesting an interesting conversation and not nearly as pleasant. Each night, Atem would follow the routine and lock himself in his soul room with Yami.

Yami was not much for speaking these days. When Atem could find him at all, he just found those soulless eyes staring at him.

“We can find another way.” Atem often told him this and hoped for some sort of reaction. Even just humoring the idea of a bargain would be enough. But there was nothing.

The silence between them continued for days.

It wasn't until Atem thought of what Yami was possibly hoping that he got a response.

Atem scowled at him. “You can act as docile as you want, I will not be letting up and allowing you to take my body.”

Yami just smirked at him. “I don't doubt that.” That was the only response he received.

When he asked Ryo if he'd ever faced a situation like that before, the former host shook his head. “This isn't a situation I know. You'll need to proceed carefully.”

Atem nodded and let out a sigh of exhaustion. Of course, the situation wasn't like Bakura's. The two spirits were different. Atem wasn't even positive Yami counted as a spirit. Not in the sense of he or Bakura, at least.

But he wasn't left in the dark for very long. It was the night before they were due to head back to Japan and they decided to go out one last time. Anzu had managed to get tickets to a show put on by one of her friends from her classes. The show itself was interesting but ran on until late.

The streets were emptier than Atem had seen them when they stepped out of the theatre. Sure, there were still a few people wandering around, but it was nothing compared to the packed sidewalks during the day.

“We have a few things to do at Kaiba Corp before tomorrow.” Mokuba had called to them as Kaiba and Kisara headed away and back to the car as they discussed some sort of software the girl was working on. “I'll make sure Seto doesn't leave without you guys.”

Yugi smiled at Mokuba and gave the boy a wave. “Alright then. We'll see you guys tomorrow morning.”

From there, the group separated. Everyone talked about Anzu's friend and the show he put on. Yugi and Ryo asked a couple of questions that had Anzu waving off with a 'you can't ask a lady something like that!'

Atem chuckled along to their comments but didn't add much to the conversation. He didn't know this boy so he thought it best to simply stand back and listen. Then, something caught his eye between two buildings. A shine that summoned him almost immediately.

It took Yugi a couple of seconds to realize Atem wasn't with them. His heart stopped and, without a word to his friends, he took a few steps back just in time to hear a pained howl from an alley.

He ran in the direction of the scream.

“Consider this the final warning, Your Highness.” A shadow hissed at Atem as it pressed the other against the cold, hard stone of the building. He pulled back and watched the body collapse. “I will take you from this world myself if you don't obey these rules. And it would be such a shame to have you die in such a place, wouldn't you say?”

“Stop!” As soon as the word left his mouth, Yugi pushed himself between the two, his arms stretched to block Atem from any further harm. “Leave him alone!”

Yami's eyes continued to glow as he looked at the young human in confusion. He's seen this scene before in memories. Long ago, a younger version of this boy. Only with a higher purity. An innocence. A fear.

Then, Yami felt it. The drive and the want that must fuel his counterpart. It was some sort of obsession that made him wish for Yugi in ways unlike any other. All shadow and darkness, he reached out with a barely formed hand. “Yugi. Young, sweet child.” He wanted to see that spark from that day. The fear that came with a boy who didn't know how the world worked. The purity from before. “You have no place around monsters.”

When the shadows touched his cheek, he saw the fear spark deep in those violet eyes but it wasn't the same as the one in the memory. He tried to grab the other's chin but the hand broke into nothing.

He glared and tried again, this time with more force.

Yugi shut his eyes tightly only to feel Atem pull him back and suddenly, he was surrounded by the warmth of the other body and they both fell to the ground. A sound echoed around them like a breath. When he opened his eyes, Yami was gone and Atem was hugging him in a weak and shaky grip.

“...P-partner...” There was a look of terror in Atem's eyes. He fell back against the building.

Yugi carefully moved to help Atem up again. “It's okay.. he can't-” His hand touched Atem's side only to fall on something wet and sticky. He pulled his hand back and say his palm soaked in red. For a second he stared and prayed it was an illusion that would soon disappear.

It didn't.

He sucked in a shaky breath to try and calm himself. “It's okay... Everything's going to be fine, Atem.” He pressed his hand against the wound looked to the edge of the alley. “Help!!”

Atem put a hand on Yugi's as he felt himself growing weaker. Yugi must've felt it too as his grip pressed harder on the wound and his screams for help became more shrill and frantic. He was fading by the time other faces appeared. Anzu covered her mouth while Ryo moved forward and pulled Yugi away from the wound. He told Anzu to call for help while he pressed something against Atem's side. His grip was sure and steady, much more painful than Yugi's.

“Stay with us, Atem.” Ryo's voice was firm. Different than before.

Atem tried to look around. “P...art...”

“I'm right here.” Yugi's hand found Atem's. “You're going to be okay. We'll get you out of here, okay? Then we'll go home.”

“Yu...gi. I-” He struggled to keep his eyes open. To look at Yugi and study his face as if it were the last time he'd see it. It was getting harder to focus. Even the blaring sound of sirens couldn't help him fight the urge to close his eye.

He heard a soft laugh from the corner of his mind. _“I didn't expect you to let me win so easily.”_ It was playful with very little hate. It sounded like he was mocking him.

He was barely able to speak again as he weakly squeezed Yugi's hand. “..I... wo..on't.... leave.... yo..u.”

He saw panic light up in Yugi and watched him shout out his name as everything went dark.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was both exciting and terrifying to write. Hope you all enjoyed it!
> 
> Also, cliffhanger. (steps back into the darkness from whence they came.)


	16. Warnings

 

The soul room was just as cold as ever. It still held a few dark corners despite Atem knowing who he was. But there was still damage done to the pharaoh from his time not even knowing his own name. There was still a high level of insecurity that kept the room from being bright and warm. Atem would still have a long way to go in life if he were to return the soul room to its full potential.

For now, Yami would wander it and regard it like a crime scene. He would study every nook and crevice. Every crack in the stone, every pillar, and polished rock. But he was still no closer to finding out what he needed to do to truly be able to get Atem to either pass or fail this test.

The incident in the alley was Yami getting desperate but his counterpart didn't need to know that. He was sick of this existence but he couldn't leave until Atem either fulfilled the duties or rotted away in punishment.

His eyes fell on the throne. Every time he stepped out of that seat, the small doll would somehow find its way back. It would stare straight on from its purple beady eyes and down the center of the room.

It was as if it were waiting for something as well.

Yami took the doll into his hand and stared at it. “You.”

The doll didn't respond.

“You're the key to all of this. Aren't you?” He took the doll's place on the throne. “With your ability to bring out the best in him. That sweet and pure heart.” He pressed the doll's forehead to his own and closed his eyes. “What _is_ it about you?”

The doll still offered no response.

He wondered what was taking the pharaoh. Surely Atem would want to come and blame him for all of this.

Or maybe he was hiding somewhere because he knew this was all his fault.

No matter. Yami had a few things to figure out on his own. He pulled the doll down to his chest and stared at the ceiling of the room.

 

-

 

The blood had dried on Yugi's hand but he was finding it hard to care. It was all over him anyway, from his clothes to his hair and face. Some part of him wanted to go clean it off but he was afraid to leave and find out he missed some sort of update on Atem's condition. Also, right now, he couldn't look at himself in the bathroom mirror.

He should have stayed with him. He should have noticed when Atem headed away from them. He should have known this whole silence with Yami was too good to be true.

He should have been faster.

“Yugi...”

He turned and looked at Anzu. She sat on the seat he kept pacing in front of.

She looked as though she were about to cry. Her voice was thick with the unshed tears. “He'll be okay.” She started to waver in his vision.

He wiped at his face with his sleeve and took a deep breath. “Y-yeah. He'll be fine..” He didn't sound so sure himself. He looked down at the floor. “He'll be...”

Anzu stood up and wrapped her arms around Yugi. For a moment, he didn't return the gesture and instead stood solid as a statue. Then his hands came up slowly and gripped the back of her shirt. She pretended not to hear his sobbing into her shoulder and just held him.

There was a gruff growl that made them both tense. “Can't we go anywhere without one of you idiots ending up in the hospital?”

Anzu glared at Kaiba but said nothing.

Yugi took the opportunity to pull himself back together. Not that anyone would acknowledge the tear stains or the swollen eyes. Besides, it wasn't the first time he cried in front of these people and it probably wouldn't be the last.

Their eyes were more focused on the red still on Yugi.

Kaiba's scowl softened and for a moment, he nearly looked apologetic.

Kisara spoke up for him, her eyes stared straight into Yugi's and refused to look anywhere else on his body. “How's he doing?”

“We don't know yet. They said he might have some internal bleeding because the stab was so deep.” Yugi sat down and ran his hand through his hair. “It's all my fault...”

Mokuba frowned. “What happened to him? Was it a mugger?”

Anzu shook her head. “There wasn't anyone around. Not unless you saw someone, Yugi.”

Yugi stared at the floor and said nothing. What was he supposed to say? Would any of this knowledge do his friends any good?

Someone sat down next to him and placed a gentle hand on his back. “Maybe it would be best for everyone if we explain.”

He looked at Ryo. There was no amount of times he could thank him and feel it was enough. Not after everything he's done since Atem's return. He swallowed thickly and nodded. “Yeah. I guess if it can get this bad, you all have a right to know.”

The story took only a few quick explanations on how Atem was able to come back at all. But then, he had to fill them in on the consequences as well. As well as the task this phantom was attempting to get Atem to fulfill.

“Atem was calling him 'Yami.' From what I've seen, he lives up to the name too.” That strange shadow with the glowing eyes was still vivid in his mind.

Yugi looked at the door to the emergency room where they had rushed Atem in and forced him to stay on the other side. A familiar, helpless feeling crawled into his heart at that moment and had yet to leave.

“We've been trying to figure out ways around it, but it seems this... whatever-he-is... is pretty stubborn about playing along.” Ryo filled the silence Yugi left behind.

“So, after all we've done to get rid of this, we're dealing with yet another homicidal maniac.” Kaiba shot Ryo a look.

The pale boy winced. “Yes, I would say so.”

Kaiba looked back at Yugi and crossed his arms. “But what I'm hearing is an easily solved problem.”

The game king tensed and met Kaiba's eye. He wouldn't dare be suggesting...

“This particular maniac has rules to follow. The main one being Atem provides a sacrifice.”

Oh God, he was. Yugi glared at Kaiba. “I'm not about to let that happen.”

“It sounds like _you_ don't have the option.”

Yugi flinched as if he'd been slapped.

Kaiba pointed to the doors. “The man you've been pining after for the last few years is currently suffering because he won't obey the rules to a simple game.”

“Killing someone is not a 'simple game,' Kaiba! That's someone's life!”

“And so is this! The difference is this 'life' decided to break laws in order to come back. And tell me, why _did_ he come back, Motou?”

Yugi clenched his hands into fists and looked away.

“The options are limited. Clearly, this phantom is willing to take him away from here because the pharaoh suddenly decided to be a pacifist. It's one life for another; an even trade. Not that you're the one who needs convincing. Like I said, that's not up to you.”

“You think I didn't realize that?” Yugi's voice was soft and in nearly perfect contrast with the forceful tone from Kaiba. “I know this is out of my hands. Trust me; it's all I can think about. It terrifies me that I can't help him.” He looked back up at Kaiba. “But you don't know him like I do. What you saw when he was still in my body? That was just a fraction of how cruel Atem can be. And he's fought so hard to keep from returning to that state of mind. One death at his hands could be enough of a push to send him back into that insanity. And I won't let that happen to him again!” Violet eyes glared into blue. “So, yeah, what I'm trying to do is crazy; but at least I know my way will keep Atem of sound mind.”

Kaiba huffed. “A whole lot of good that's doing him right now.”

The room fell silent. From somewhere just barely within the dimension, Atem watched the conversation. He looked at Yugi and felt a pang hit him in the chest. He so badly wanted to comfort him and tell him everything would be okay. He wasn't going to die on him and he wasn't going to let this go. But he couldn't say it from here.

He went through the doors and headed back to the room where doctors were tending to his body. It was a sickly looking thing from his current view. His skin had paled slightly from the blood loss.

He had to focus on what was important. The body was still alive. His heart beat was weak but there. He wasn't going anywhere.

He returned to the body. The third eye opened and lit up the room much to the surprise of the hospital staff. Everyone froze at the sight and stared tensely at the body on the table. It took a while before someone spoke up quietly. “Is... is that normal?”

Inside, Atem stepped out of the shadows of his soul room and looked at his 'roommate.'

Yami's eyes were closed and he still held that doll in his hands.

“I underestimated you.”

Yami nodded but still didn't open up.

Atem turned away from him and headed away from the throne. He still wanted to be nowhere near this being.

“I understand now.”

Atem stopped.

“Your reasoning for coming back. Your selfish desires, your inability to let go.” Yami's eyes opened and he stared again at the ceiling. “I can feel it.”

The pharaoh turned back to the phantom. Somehow, he couldn't find it in him to think Yami had come to a proper conclusion, but the fact he was trying to come to grips with this at all was promising. He stared up at him, contemplating his next move. “It doesn't have to be this way.” He stepped closer, slowly as if one misstep could set off Yami again. “The game we're playing could end, here and now.”

“Well, you _are_ laying in a hospital room with part of your abdomen cut open. The game can't be played if one of the two parties no longer exists.”

Atem suddenly felt very cold. But, something didn't add up. “...What stopped you from ending my life?”

Yami looked at him. His eyes locked onto Atem as if he were angered by the very wording of the question. Slowly, he sat up straighter, left hand still clutching the doll tightly. “Atem,” the name sounded strange out of Yami's mouth, “you forget our games? We are nothing if not fair.” He smiled. “There's always a warning shot.”

Atem grimaced. “You delayed any chance of ending this for a 'warning?' I have trouble believing that. Were you that desperate?” His eyes drifted to Yami's hand. “Or did your sudden 'understanding' stop you instead?”

The smile fell and he looked down at the doll. He studied it for a tense moment before speaking again. “Some of these people are quite dull. I couldn't understand why you would want to return to a world full of such simple minds filled with dark intentions.”

“You're not really one to talk.”

Yami looked back up, ignoring the comment. “But there's something different with this one. His light is... different.” He stood, the doll still in his hands. He stared at Atem. “It's a miracle you didn't completely consume him.” He pushed the doll into the pharaoh's arms. “It's a curious situation when you look from afar.”

“A strange reasoning...” He glanced at the doll then back up at Yami.

The phantom was nowhere to be seen.

He looked back at the doll. The fabric around the eyes looked particularly worn and the face looked like it was stained in some sort of soot. Atem brushed a little of it off only to have it stain his thumb and leave behind a larger marking. He worked to get a little more off before he set the small doll back on the throne.

He stared at it for a moment then spoke. “Please stay safe.”

 

-

 

“Mr. Mutou?”

Hours passed with the group in nearly complete silence after the argument. This was a highly accepted change.

Yugi shot back out of his seat at the sound of his name and everyone else turned to look at the newcomer. The doctor that called to him was a taller woman. She looked kind, as if she truly cared about Atem's well-being on a personal level.

She gave him a tired smile and fiddled with the clipboard in her hand. “Let me just ease your mind; your boyfriend's in stable condition.”

Yugi let out a breath and allowed himself to relax. He could feel the same vibe come from his friends behind him.

“Whatever cut into him just barely nicked his intestines and only caused a small amount of internal bleeding. Most wounds that deep would have caused a much more serious injury. He's a very lucky man.”

It took all his willpower not to snort at the mention of 'luck.' “Can I see him?”

“He's still asleep from the operation but I can show you to his room in a moment. There's something I'd like to quickly discuss with you.” She looked a little uneasy for a moment, her eyes darting to the group behind her before she spoke lower, words only for Yugi. “During his time in the ER, there was this strange... glow emitting from his forehead.” she pointed to the spot between her eyebrows. “I don't want to alarm you with it but, I have to be honest, it was unlike anything I'd seen. Really, I just wanted to know if this was something he had a history of doing?”

Yugi swallowed thickly and looked back at his group. Anzu and Ryo looked on with concern while Kaiba and Mokuba didn't make eye contact. Kisara blinked and looked at everyone in confusion.

He turned back to the doctor. “I guess you could say that, yeah.”

She nodded. “Either way, we'd like to keep Atem here for a day or two for observation. It's just to be safe, I assure you.”

“I understand.”

With that, the doctor led Yugi further into the hospital. Each footstep that brought him closer to the room was another beat added to his already racing heart. By the time they were outside Atem's room, the sound was in his ears and he could feel the thumping in his throat.

Hesitantly, he walked into the room and paused. There he was, sound asleep in a hospital bed and gown. His own heartbeat moved with a rythemic beep. There was an IV bag attached to his arm.

It was a state Yugi never expected to see Atem in. Now that he was seeing it, he hoped to never see it again. The tears began again as he walked over to the chair next to his bed. Yugi smiled wetly at him. “I'm sorry.” He gently placed his hand over Atem's. “I told you I'd keep you in sight. I wanted to keep you safe.” A humorless chuckle came from his lips. “I guess I'm not the best guardian.”

The hand underneath his twitched.

He blinked and looked at the hand. His eyes darted up to the pharaoh's face. “Atem?”

For a moment, Atem's face was merely tense. He grunted softly as his eyes started to peek open. He looked at his companion through tired, half-lidded eyes. “...Yugi...”

Yugi's eyes overflowed. He sniffled and smiled at Atem. “You're okay.”

Atem brought his hand up and wiped the tears away from Yugi's eyes. He truly hated to see his partner in tears. “Are you?”

He nodded and took Atem's hand again. “Y-yeah.” He looked down for a minute and gripped Atem's hand tighter. “They said you might have to stay for a bit. You, um, started to glow while they were taking care of you.”

Atem frowned. “Did I?” He pushed himself up slightly and winced as pain shot up from where he was stitched closed.

Yugi was quick to place a hand on Atem's shoulder and coax him back down on the bed. “You shouldn't try to move yet. You might hurt yourself.”

“Yes. Don't kill yourself. We wouldn't want to go through that again.”

Atem glanced at the door and snorted. “It's nice to know you care enough to crawl out of your cave.”

Kaiba looked at him flatly. “You're already in pain so I'll let that one slide.”

Anzu and Ryo pushed their way into the room, both of them held similar looks of concern for their friend.

“Did Yami really do this to you?” Anzu gestured to Atem with a frown.

Atem blinked in surprise. He never expected to hear that name come from Anzu. “Uh, yes.” He looked down and gingerly touched his side. “He... wanted to send a warning.” He looked up at Ryo. “Did your research bring in any leads?”

Ryo faltered ever so slightly. “It did but nothing was around here or near Domino. In fact, the place with the most promise would be in Egypt.”

Atem sucked in a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Of course it would be.”

Yugi squeezed his hand and grinned. “One step at a time. Let's focus on getting you out of here first.”

He looked down at Yugi's hand in his. At some point, it looked as though it was scrubbed clean to the point of nearly scrubbing parts of his skin raw. He could hear his heartbeat move unevenly for a split second as he thought of why he would be in such a condition. “Right.” His thumb gently brushed against Yugi's hand, over the tender spots as if just his touch alone could heal them.

He really wished for that to be true. His eyes slipped closed again.

When he opened them again, he couldn't be sure how much time had passed but the room was nearly empty. Yugi was the only one still in his spot. He'd fallen asleep in the chair, still holding Atem's hand as if it were a lifeline.

It gave Atem a moment to reflect. It would be far from the last time he would watch Yugi sleep but had Yami been feeling even a little bit more violent then he wouldn't be here now.

He didn't want to think about it.

But while he understood what the phantom was trying to make him do, Atem knew it needed to be brought to an end soon by any means. He feared next time it wouldn't be as simple as a hospital stay. And it wouldn't be him laying in the bed.

That idea scared Atem the most.

–

 

“Your rooms were already booked so we just moved your stuff into the suite and we told the hotel we would be staying another week.”

Morning came and Yugi woke up to see Atem still asleep. The night had been uncomfortable from his spot in the chair. He was far from well rested. It was clear in his posture and expression. He looked as though he were getting sick. “Thank you, Mokuba.” He stared at Atem. For a while, they were all just there in silence. Then, Yugi spoke again. “If you three want to go back to Domino, don't let us hold you. We can just leave when Atem heals.”

Kaiba snorted. “Really? Then you filed all the paperwork so Atem would be able to board a plane?”

Yugi didn't look at him. His eyes downcasted as he let the silence answer Kaiba's question.

Ryo took the opportunity to gently speak up. “Maybe you should get something to eat. It might help clear your mind.”

“I agree. You're clearly not thinking straight.”

“I'm fine.” Yugi looked back up at Atem. He prayed the other would wake up so at least he wouldn't feel as though he were alone. Although odds were, he would agree with Kaiba and Ryo.

And he didn't have to look up to know none of them believed him.

“There's this really cool burger place about a block away.” Mokuba readily chimed in, “we could just go and grab something.” The younger Kaiba smiled as Yugi glanced over at him.

But the glance was short lived. “I... don't want to leave him to wake up alone.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes. “He's not going anywhere. Would it make you feel better if someone stayed?”

“I couldn't ask-”

“Ryo, Mokuba, take Yugi to get something to eat before the almighty pharaoh tries to skin us for letting him pass out from starvation or something.”

For a moment, Yugi didn't move. He just looked up at Kaiba. “But-”

Kaiba shot him a look. “Just go, Mutou.”

Yugi was still hesitant. “Okay... But if he wakes up-”

“I'll call you. I get it.” As the small duelist stood up, Kaiba ushered him out of the room with Mokuba and Ryo in tow. He sighed heavily when they were gone.

These idiots were going to be the death of him.

For a few minutes, Kaiba just walked around the room and appraised everything with a lukewarm interest. He didn't like hospitals; not that he was sure there was anyone who truly did enjoy a place that could represent life or death.

It just made him think of things he'd rather forget.

Once he was done with his pacing, he took his position right in Yugi's chair and studied Atem. He remembered the time where Atem couldn't remember his own name. Back when he would have happily allowed Kaiba to die for his own pride.

Although, if the situation were reversed, it's possible there would be nothing there to stop Kaiba from allowing Atem to die. He really couldn't blame him.

But now, here he was. A vulnerable, mortal man not some sort of dark entity haunting his classmate. Yugi was pretty much afraid of a powder puff becoming a demon.

Atem's eyes slowly opened. For a moment, he just laid in a daze before he looked over at the chair to see Kaiba.

He didn't need to ask. “We forced him out to get food. One person in a hospital bed is more than enough.” He pulled out his phone and went to his contacts. “But one call and he'll come running, so-”

Then, a tanned hand calmly reached out and plucked the phone from the CEO.

Atem didn't look over as Kaiba shot a gaze so cold it could freeze Hell itself. He just gripped the phone tightly on his lap. “Kaiba, There's something I have to ask of you.” The words looked like they caused Atem physical pain. It was also equally possible his wound was acting up.

Kaiba quirked an eyebrow at him. “I'm listening.”

 

 


	17. Preparations

 

“You realize what you're asking won't be easy.”

Atem nodded.

“And it might end up costing me my life?”

The pharaoh scoffed. “Don't be so dramatic.”

“I'm not.” He looked at his phone still tight in the pharaoh's grip. “He's not going to come along willingly.”

“I know. And hopefully, it won't come down to it, but-” Atem stopped when the door opened.

Both of them looked in time for a nurse to step in and smile at them. “Good morning. Don't mind me.” She busied herself with a few IV bags next to Atem's bed.

Atem just focused on Kaiba while she took his arm. “I did not come back for this to become a disaster.”

“Are you sure?”

Atem looked at him flatly. “Kaiba...”

“Fine. Yes, I'll accept your mission. But you owe me.” He crossed his arms. “If we make it out of this with all our limbs.”

“We will,” he hoped aloud. “Thank you.” He tensed and hissed as a needle was pushed into his vein.

“Sorry...” The nurse winced as Atem looked over at her. “But hopefully, this will help you feel a little better while you heal.”

Atem blinked. “What?”

Kaiba nodded to the back. “What's in it?”

“Just a painkiller. It might make your friend a little... loopy, but at least he'll be comfortable.”

“What do you mean 'loopy?'” Atem frowned as the nurse just smiled and walked out. He turned back to Kaiba. “What does she mean 'loopy?'”

The taller man took the opportunity to take his phone back. He quickly sent Yugi a text before switching over to the camera. “You'll find out very soon.” He smirked.

Atem was suddenly very worried.

 

-

 

“I'm coming over there!”

“No, Jou. Stay with your sister. Everything's fine now. He's healing; it's just going to take a few days.”

“Yeah, that's great and all, but what about _you_?”

Yugi blinked. “Me? I'm fine.”

“You sound exhausted.”

“I'm awesome.” He looked down at the table in front of him. “Well, as awesome as someone can be.”

Jounochi snorted.

“But seriously, by the time you get a ticket and get over here, we should be heading back. Stay in Japan.” The phone buzzed near his ear and signaled another message. “I've got to go.”

“Keep me updated, man. I don't wanna hear you guys are in trouble after the fact.”

“There wasn't much you could do from there so I didn't want to worry you. But yes, I'll tell you if anything changes.” With a quick goodbye, Yugi looked at the text.

It was from Kaiba and simply said _he's awake._

He must have tensed and looked as though he were ready to sprint for the door. Mokuba eyed Yugi and pushed the meal closer to the duelist. “We can leave when you eat something.”

Yugi glanced at the burger then Mokuba. Sometimes, he was too much like his brother. After a moment of consideration, he looked at the mostly untouched food in front of him, picked up the burger and pushed half of it in his mouth.

Ryo and Mokuba blinked at him before Ryo spoke up with an urgency. “Hold on, we don't want you to choke on it.”

He chewed with a look of concentration as he stood up and headed for the door. Somewhere between the table and the door, Yugi had swallowed and shouted back. “Sorry but I gotta go!”

The waitress seemed to catch the entire event and walked up to the table. “Uh, would your friend like his meal wrapped up?”

Mokuba blinked and looked up at her. “Uh, yeah. I guess...”

 

-

 

It took only a minute for the painkillers to take effect. When they did, Atem lost any composure he had and instead, opted to be fascinated in just about everything like a young child. It started with him pulling on the insistent blond lock sticking straight up from his forehead. He pulled it down and released, letting out a soft 'boing' as it sprung back up into position.

His fascination then switched gears ever so slightly.

“Hands are weird...” Atem declared as he opened and closed his fingers experimentally.

Kaiba smirked as he recorded the drugged pharaoh. Someday, Atem would try to be his arrogant ass self. When that day came, the CEO would have a file made for a quick shutdown of that.

Atem turned his glassy eyes on Kaiba. For a moment, he looked as though he were concentrating really hard on something. Then, he looked concerned. “Do you think birds can read minds?”

Despite his instinct to ignore the obviously dumb question, Kaiba chose to engage. “...I never really thought of it.”

“What if... what if they can?.... Then they'll know _everything_.” His hand came up to rub at his eye, then he turned back to a look of fasination.

He looked back at Kaiba. He reached out with another serious expression.

Then poked Kaiba's nose. “Boop.”

“Don't do that.” He glared but didn't move away.

His finger stayed on Kaiba. “It's okay if you and Yugi did... stuff. I was all... dead and stuff anyways.”

Kaiba quirked an eyebrow. “What?”

“Jus', you know, s'long he's happy. Issok now, anyways. I'm back an' you got Kiserara back. I dunno how you did it, but ya did.” His hand finally fell and he smiled. “You a cool dude.”

“Don't... don't say 'dude.' It sounds weird coming from you.”

The smile morphed into a halfhearted glare. “... _You_ sound weird coming from you!”

“Good one.”

That was when Yugi walked back in the door.

Atem's eyes lit up as if he'd seen the greatest thing ever. “Partneeerrrr!” He reached out like a child, fingers flexing as if to silently say 'gimme!'

Yugi blinked a couple of times and walked over to Atem's bedside. “Uh, what happened?”

Kaiba just continued to record as Atem took hold of Yugi's hand and made a soft noise of pleasure almost an entire octave too high for his voice. It was sickening how affectionate he was. “Nothing. He's just high as a kite.” Kaiba stood up. “He has no tolerance for anything.”

“... _I_ tolerate _you_.”

“And that is the most coherent thing you've said since the nurse came in. I'm not even sure it was on purpose.”

Atem stuck his tongue out at Kaiba. The act was ignored by the other two parties.

Kaiba looked at Yugi then looked over at the door as Mokuba and Ryo stepped in with a large bag in hands. “I'll leave him to you now.”

As Kaiba walked out, Ryo walked in and placed the bag on a bedside table. “We got your food wrapped up.”

Yugi blinked and smiled sheepishly. “Thank you. Sorry for leaving so quickly.”

Ryo smiled back. “I would be surprised if you hadn't.” He gave him a little wave. “Let us know if you two need anything else.”

With that, they were left alone again. Atem kept a tight grip on Yugi's hand. He sighed softly. “I'm sorry... I never meant to get stabbed.”

Yugi blinked and looked down at Atem. “It's not like that was something in your control.”

Atem pulled him closer and let go of his hand in favor of wrapping his arms around the other's waist. He rested his head against Yugi's stomach and just held him there. “I should've.”

Yugi's hand rested on Atem's head. He ran his fingers through the wild hair. “Hey, we can't always pretend you're all powerful, you know. You're human; you make human mistakes.”

Atem hummed softly. Whether it was in agreement or he was simply pleased by the feeling of fingers on his scalp, Yugi couldn't be sure.

“Someday, we'll all be okay...”

Yugi felt a pain in his chest. It was almost as if Atem was trying to convince himself but his brian was too dazed to remember or care to keep that thought silent. It was whispered into his stomach like a wish more than a statement. The same way Yugi wished for his friends all those years ago.

He wanted to be okay. That's all he _ever_ wanted.

And Yugi would make sure this happened even if it killed him.

 

-

 

It was another day before the hospital released Atem with a clean bill of health.

“Make sure to keep the area clean but avoid soaking it.” The nurse informed after she finished wrapping it for the last time. She smiled at Atem.

The way she did made Yugi's eye twitch.

Atem stayed oblivious. He just nodded along as she told him the proper care techniques. His hand found its way to Yugi's without having to look in his direction.

Yugi squeezed it reassuringly.

“You may want to follow up with your own doctor at home.” If she noticed the handholding, she kept it to herself. Instead, she just continued to tell him about proper bandaging.

“Also, we have a prescription for painkillers to help you be a little more comfortable.”

“No thanks.” He would rather avoid anything that might make him act the way he did the other night.

It felt like forever before they were allowed to leave the hospital.

Anzu stood outside the hospital with a seemingly uncaring Kaiba. As well as a few newcomers.

Jou stared at the two with a look on his face like he was torn between ranting and raving and pulling them into a bearhug.

Yugi blinked at the sight of his best friend. “Jou....”

“Yeah, I came. I wasn't about to miss out on what you guys got going on!” He crossed his arms and smirked. “You think I'm gonna let you guys go to Egypt without my help?”

Atem frowned. “We... never decided if we should go to Egypt. How would you know...?”

All eyes fell on Kaiba.

He looked at all of them before he scoffed and turned away. “Save it. You'll thank me later when we don't have to make the trip back for this idiot.”

As they walked away and back to Anzu's dorm, Yugi filled Jou in on everything he missed. His hand never left Atem's, even occasionally tightening his grip as if to remind himself the other was still with him.

He would never say it aloud, but there was a sort of security that came from that feeling. Atem wanted nothing more than to hold Yugi's hand forever. He wanted to feel safe. He wanted to feel normal.

But was that even possible or did he say goodbye to normality the day he met Bakura in that throne room?

He glanced around for any indication Yami was around and listening.

 _I know you're there._ He was so tired of fighting. And he was sure his counterpart knew that.

 _“I never left.”_ He felt a cold shiver work its way up his spine. It felt like cold arms wrapped around him from behind. _“I could be here forever,”_ Yami whispered in his ear. Clearly, he didn't share Atem's fatigue.

“Atem?”

Atem glanced over at Yugi. There was a look of worry in his eyes. It was then when he realized his hand was squeezing his lover's a little tighter than he should.

His grip loosened but Yugi didn't let go. He just moved closer until they were shoulder to shoulder.

“Sorry.”

Everyone stopped walking. For a moment, Jou turned and stared at Atem. With a serious look, he walked up to the ex-pharaoh and grabbed him by the face. He didn't seem to notice the confusion or the squished face as he stared into Atem's eyes as if they were just foggy windows into a room on the other side.

“So, he's somewhere in there, right?”

It was much more complicated than that. He knew Yami wasn't so much a glint in his eye as he was an entire being with the capability of full body control. He wanted to say that to Jou. Instead, he just looked at Jou tiredly. “Please let go.”

 _“Jounouchi Katsuya. Hm. He's pretty high on your list of favorite people.”_ Yami studied him closely. _“How much is his life worth to you?”_

Jou blinked. He felt a cold chill work its way up his spine that he couldn't explain. Suddenly, he felt like he walked into a war zone.

The blond let him go and the distant look in Atem's eyes morphed into rage. He shot a dark glare over at Yami.

Yami smirked. “ _Having so many exposed nerves leaves you open to harm, Your Highness.”_

The change went unnoticed to most of the group. With one exception. “What did he say?” Yugi whispered the question.

Atem looked at Yugi. The look of worry was back in his eyes as cold terror shot through him. How long would it be before Yami demanded a life like Yugi's?

“We have to get rid of him. Fast.”

The walk back to the dorm was tense. Jou would occasionally glance over at Atem. He wanted to say something to ease the tension but it was as if some sort of animal instinct had kicked in. His head was filled with the images of a possessed friend.

Yami wasn't at all like Atem. When he found out Yugi was being controlled by a spirit, sure he was concerned. But it was for the sake of his buddy. Even then it was short lived when he realized they'd been switching back and forth without anyone noticing. Now?

He wondered if he would wake up to a knife at his throat. This wasn't some lost amnesiatic spirit. This thing might be worse than sharing a room with Bakura and Malik back in Battle City.

“Thinking that hard is too much for your tiny brain to handle.”

He wanted to feel angry at that statement and have that small, familiar fight. But even the prospect of snapping at Kaiba wasn't enough. Instead, Jou just stuffed his hands in his pockets. Maybe it was the same. Maybe he was just rusty from the few years without this supernatural stuff. After all, he did almost die on a regular basis. What makes this guy special?

“It's because he's wearing your friend's face.”

Jou looked at Kaiba in surprise. “What?”

“You were thinking aloud. I told you your brain could only handle so much.”

Jou glared at him as they stopped in front of the dorms.

Everyone else stopped as well.

“You guys go up. I got a few things to say to this asshole.”

Yugi frowned at Jou. “Just please don't get violent.”

He looked at his friend. The exhaustion was back; this whole thing was taking a toll on him. Jou gave him a reassuring grin. “I'll try my best.”

He watched them leave and, once they were out of sight, he turned his attention back to Kaiba. The glare was gone. “What'd I miss? Really.”

Kaiba didn't say anything for a minute. Then, he crossed his arms and looked up. “I already told you everything.”

“Don't lie to me.” The glare returned. “I'm not as dumb as you think, Kaiba. And you sure as Hell know I ain't about to leave this alone.”

“'I'm _not_ about to leave this alone.'”

“Does this look like the time for a fuckin grammar lesson?!” Jou was shaking, his fingers itching to close into a fist and knock out some of this rich bastard's perfect teeth.

But then Kaiba looked back at him calmly. “You saw something that scared you.”

Jou blinked and the glare softened. “There's a murderer living in Atem.”

“There's _always_ been a murderer living in Atem. It's just now he has a separate name.” Kaiba looked away to some people walking down the street. “And this time he's actually trying to do something about it.”

The blond blinked in confusion for a moment before a smirk took over. “So, you gonna tell me what secrets you're trying to hide?”

Kaiba looked at Jou for a moment. He studied the other man appraisingly and took in everything. He considered everything he knew about Jounochi. Then...

“No.” He started to walk inside.

“What the hell, Kaiba?!”

He looked at Jou over his shoulder. “Just know when to jump ship, mutt. Sometimes, you have to make sacrifices to save what really matters.” That was all Kaiba said as he headed up to Anzu and Kisara's dorm.

Jou stared at his back, now more confused than he was before.

 

-

 

“So, if we take the coordinates you found and put them in here, we have the exact location to the place where Atem and Yami can meet face to face and settle this.”

Ryo nodded enthusiastically and smiled brightly at Kisara. “And it looks as though it would only be a few miles away from any main roads. It wouldn't be that difficult to get there!”

Kaiba looked at the two of them. “It's a few miles in the desert.”

Kisara smiled at him. “What's wrong, pale boy? Afraid of a little sun?” She smiled a little wider when Ryo snorted out a laugh.

“You two are the _last_ people to be making a comment about complexion.”

Yugi looked over the map on screen and tilted his head. “We could rent something to get us a little closer to the area without having to travel on foot.”

“It's said that most animals will actively avoid the area. And cars tend to die in the surrounding areas.” Ryo pointed to a spot about a mile away from their destination.

“Then we can take something to that edge and head in from there.” Atem brought a hand up to his chin in thought. “It might be best for everyone else to stay behind. I should deal with him on my own.”

The room tensed and dropped into silence.

“You're kidding, right?”

Atem turned and looked at Jou.

“Like we're just gonna let you walk out there without us? Not a chance.”

Atem stared at his friend. “Jou...”

Anzu shook her head. “You should know better, Atem. We do this together. All of us.”

Atem turned to look at Kaiba in hopes of getting at least some form of backup but it looked as though he were in a silent argument with Kisara, possibly over whether or not she would be staying here or heading out with them.

He could tell by the expression on the CEO's face that she was winning by a landslide.

Atem sucked in a deep breath and looked down at his lap.

Yugi's hand laid on his. He looked up to the smiling face.

Yugi gripped him a little tighter. “We're a team. That won't ever change.”

Atem's shoulders lost all their tension as Yugi's forehead pressed against his own. He could feel Yami watching them and imagined he did so with a raised eyebrow. “Okay...” He mumbled softly, a small smile on his face. It was almost a relief to be defeated like this.

Now, he just had to make sure they make it out of this alive.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little Fun fact: Puppyshipping was one of my first OTPs, back in the day. It still lingers a bit.
> 
> Also: thank you, everyone, for all the nice comments and Kudos. I know I don't often respond directly but I do want you to know, I read and reread all the comments and I appreciate each and every one!
> 
> (Also also, this chapter is partially an excuse to write a drugged up Atem. Forgive me.)


	18. Farewell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: This chapter has actual sexual content in it. (for the first time in forever, I wrote a sex scene...)  
> So, you know, blah blah, viewer discretion, blah blah.

The flight was set to take off early the next day.

Kisara and Anzu both made sure they had some sort of way to keep up in their classes so it would be as if they never left. All it took was a simple recording device and a computer in Kisara's bag.

But that was the last thing on their minds now.

Kisara was new to this group. She was introduced to Seto through her roommate when she had expressed interest in meeting him. It was a dream of hers to work for Kaiba Corp.

But it was meeting Seto that forced something to click into place. Then she met Yugi and Ryo and something else clicked.

But then Atem walked in out of nowhere. She had heard the name before but always assumed he was very much dead. His appearance revealed a lot more pieces to the puzzle in her mind. Now she both wanted to know everything and wished she could stay in the dark forever.

“Tell me more about this location, Ryo.” Atem ignored her eyes on him in favor of preparing for this fight.

Would it be a fight? No one was sure. But it never hurt to be prepared as if it were one.

Ryo nodded and pulled out the notepad in which he'd been writing. “Not much is really known about how or why this spot. But its said to give your 'shadow self' a form. Many people have done this hike in order to exorcise the other possessing them. But with all of my research, it only tells me how to start the transition. What happens from there is up to the two of you.”

“And what do I do to get it started?”

He flipped through his book and pointed to the page. “It just said you need to walk in and begin speaking to him as if he were already there. Anything that would normally acknowledge his presence. Then, he will be pulled from you and materialize into his own form to meet the challenge.”

 _“You believe this will work?”_ Yami scoffed. _“We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?”_

Atem tried to ignore him and instead looked at Yugi. The game king had a glint of determination in his eye. _He_ believed this would work.

That was enough for Atem to believe it too. They would leave Egypt without Yami hanging over his head. Then they would be able to live happily. They would be able to build their life together just as he hoped when he came back.

“I've made as many preparations as I could to make sure we get there as fast and as safely as possible,” Mokuba spoke up. “Although, I don't know what we can do if things go south.”

“How south could this thing go?” Jou frowned.

“It never hurts to be safe,” Yugi said softly.

Atem nodded and glanced at his partner again. The only hope he had for this working existed in Yugi. And he prayed to anyone who would listen that this wouldn't be his end.

 

-

 

The hotel they stayed in was only an hour drive from the edge. Mokuba and Kaiba had really worked to prepare for everything, including knowing that there would be a few extra people on board for this mission.

As the day turned into night, everyone departed to get some rest and prepare themselves for whatever it was they would see. Tomorrow would be unpredictable at best.

Atem looked at Yugi as the other prepared for bed. He smiled softly to himself before remembering this could be the last time they see each other. After all, if this was the last trial and he failed...

He walked up and wrapped his arms around his partner's waist. Yugi blinked, confused for a moment as Atem rested his head on his shoulder, his chest firmly pressed against his back.

“I love you more than I could ever say.”

Yugi looked down at the pharaoh. He felt the lips on his neck and warm hands work their way up his shirt and on his chest. He shivered.

The last time they had to say goodbye was abrupt. Neither of them had time to give one another closure. It was simply walking into the afterlife and that was that. Maybe it was because Atem convinced himself back then that there would somehow be a tomorrow. He never wanted to believe there would be a time where Yugi wasn't there.

Now he knew it was a possibility. And he could at least make it clear how much Yugi meant to him. Just to be safe.

He moved around him and looked Yugi in the eyes. “I want to make it as clear as possible.”

Yugi smiled and kissed Atem lightly. “You already have. But don't let that stop you.” He moved in and deepened the kiss as he wrapped his arms around Atem's shoulders.

Atem walked Yugi back into the bed and carefully coaxed him down until his back was against the mattress. His mouth travelled down as he worked on opening Yugi's shirt. He left a trail of kisses and light nipping down the chest and stomach.

Yugi sighed in pleasure, his eyes locked onto everything Atem was doing. All the touches and kisses were quickly getting him heated. He arched slightly as Atem's hand moved to his pants and began to undo the zipper. He was already partially erect.

Yugi threw his head back when Atem's warm mouth wrapped around his length. His hand gripped the other's head while the other stayed up near his mouth. He bit into the knuckle of his index finger and moaned softly as Atem slowly moved up and down the length. His hips twitched to drive himself deeper. “Atem...” He gasped suddenly, his eyes fluttered closed as he was completely engulfed.

He nearly shrieked when the other added in suction. The head bobbing started again. “Ah...A-Atem.” His eyes glazed over and, for a moment, he could only see small blurs. As Atem found a rhythm, Yugi's other hand flew down to join the first in the tangles of the pharaoh’s hair. There they rested as he panted.

It didn't take much longer for Yugi to groan out a warning before his climax. He tensed and his grip tightened before he realized what he was doing. His grip loosened as he basked in he afterglow.

He came to when he heard coughing.

Yugi looked at Atem as the pharaoh wiped at his mouth and coughed into his forearm. He sat up on his elbows, his face becoming bright red. “Sorry.”

“No need to apologize. I should have been better prepared.” He let out one last cough and smiled reassuringly. “It's more important to know you were pleased.”

Yugi stared at him for a moment then let out a soft chuckle. “I guess that's one pretty mild way to put it.” He eyed Atem and took in his still fully clothed form. “It looks like I could return the favor.”

“Yugi, don't feel obligated to-”

“I wasn't saying it out of obligation.” He pulled his shirt off the rest of the way and patted the bed. “Come, Pharaoh.” There was a soft purr in his voice.

Atem quickly obeyed.

In seconds, a nude Yugi was straddling him. He wrapped his arms around Atem's shoulders and grinned. “The night's still young. Let me make my love for _you_ just as clear.” He planted a light kiss on the other's lips and pressed his forehead to Atem's. “Okay?”

Atem smiled. “Okay.”

Yugi nodded and grinned a little wider as his hands worked their way under his shirt and pulled it over Atem's head. As soon as he was topless, Yugi's mouth was on his again. As he felt the duelist's tongue gently dip into his mouth, Yugi pressed down into his lap and caused a bit of friction between them. Atem groaned softly at the feeling. Then, Yugi pulled back and rested his head on Atem's shoulder.

Atem didn't remember Yugi picking up the clear little bottle or even bringing it near them. But it was suddenly brought to his attention when the duel king coated his fingers and pushed them into his own entrance. The pharaoh's face turned red as he watched, his pants becoming painfully tight at the sight of his partner fingering himself.

It felt like forever before he was finally freed and his length was coated as well. He groaned when Yugi positioned himself and lowered onto the length. “Yugi...”

He didn't stop until he was fully seated. Then he smiled at Atem and slowly, he began to move.

Yugi hugged him close as he slowly moved up and down the length. The feeling around him nearly made Atem breathless.

But then, something else added to it.

He couldn't be sure why but there was a voice that resonated inside his mind. One that didn't belong to Yami. A voice he knew well.

 _Yami... Other Atem... Whatever you want to be called. I don't know if you can hear me. I don't know if I really want you to. But I feel like this should be made clear. Atem is not going anywhere. He's mine; he is my heart. If you think I'm just going to stand back and let you take him from me, you are_ sorely _mistaken. I lost him once. I'm not going to lose him again. Not now, not tomorrow, not ever._

Atem hugged Yugi tighter.

_Remember that._

“Atem?” Yugi looked at him in concern. “Are you okay?”

Atem blinked. He hadn't even realized he was crying until Yugi's thumb came up and wiped at a tear. He smiled through them. “I've never been better.” He kissed him deeply, silently encouraging him to continue.

The kiss was all Yugi needed to know it would be alright. He was rewarded with a soft moan when he moved again.

 

-

 

Yami was unmoved.

He heard the echoes of the thought as they wrote themselves on the soul room walls. He stared at the kanji and crossed his arms. The writing was slightly sloppy. It almost looked angry, as if Yugi wrote it himself and carved it into the wall with a knife. He wasn't sure how he should feel about the statement.

His take on this whole situation was... confused really. As the opponent, it was his duty to truly test Atem. If the pharaoh failed then oh well, he should have done better.

But something in him wanted Atem to succeed. Maybe it was the part he shared where he knew it would make Yugi happy. Maybe he was just starting to like Atem a little, even if it was only in the way he tensed and sweat whenever the phantom got too close.

Hell, maybe he just wanted to stop existing and he didn't really care whether Atem won or lost just so long as he could finally rest.

He was tired. Very tired.

But maybe tomorrow would be the end. Maybe they could finally work this out. But Yami wasn't about to get his hopes up.

And maybe, he would just accept the challenge little Yugi presented for him.

He walked away from the wall. It was still strange; somehow the words had made their way into Atem's thoughts. There wasn't a long list of ways that was possible. Yugi had projected the thought purposely.

But how did it get through?

Yami glanced back at the door. From his position, it still looked firmly shut. But when he walked up to take a closer look, he could see it was ajar. Ever so slightly and barely enough to even look through.

But enough to where it was clearly getting wider. Maybe soon enough, it would be open and inviting. He could almost feel the warmth from that soul room. Welcoming in such an innocent way. There was so much emotion. So much love. It seeped in through the cracks and made the soul room just a little warmer and just a little brighter.

Sweet, naïve child. He was going to hurt. And, in the end, that pain might kill him.

 

-

 

 

Atem was terrified.

From the moment he woke up, to getting in the car, to getting back out of the car, he was sure he missed several conversations. Most of the questions to him consisted of things along the lines of 'hey, you okay?' or 'seriously though, man. You okay?'

Jounouchi did most of the speaking. He looked at Atem with concern just like everyone else.

Yugi kept a tight grip on his hand and he nodded to Jou silently.

The trek was long. Everyone passed around water bottles and carefully made sure no one was falling behind. The sun was harshest on Kisara who ended up with Kaiba's jacket thrown over the top of her head for protection. When they finally reached the spot, the sun was beginning its descent and the land before them was full of shadows.

The spot was a little different from the rest of the desert; vegetation grew in small patches where the Earth simply dropped. Without looking for it, Atem could tell the Nile was what caused this cliffside. They could hear the water.

“This is it,” Ryo said softly as everyone else tensed and looked around. “There's not much else we can do from here but watch.”

Atem nodded. “I understand.” He reluctantly let go of Yugi and sucked in a deep breath.

Anzu smiled at him. “You got this, Atem.”

His heart hammered in his chest. Part of him wanted to back up and spend the rest of his life attempting to ignore Yami. But he knew that idea was foolish. Not to mention extremely cowardice.

He kept his head up but still, his body shook. “I've got this.” He regained his composure and nodded. This was it; no turning back now. He walked toward the cliff.

Jou crossed his arms and glanced at Ryo. “You know if we knew about these places way back when, we coulda brought you and Marik here. Maybe that would've helped with the crazy evil counterpart situation.”

Ryo shook his head. “It might've worked for me but Marik's case was different. Bakura was a full spirit; Marik's other half was a product of his anger and shadow magic. Something like this could've torn is soul apart.”

Yugi listened while still following Atem with his eyes. His heart stopped at a realization and he snapped around to Ryo. “What's _Yami_?”

Ryo looked confused for a moment. Then his eyes widened as he followed the other's train of thought.

He didn't need to say anything as Yugi didn't waste any more time. He broke out into a run to get to the spot where the other was standing calmly. “Atem!”

He was a split second too late. As Yugi closed the gap between him and Atem, the pharaoh gripped his head and screamed in pain. The shadows moved around them and a bright light came from Atem's third eye. Yugi could see his eyes as fear and pain lit up and attempted to fight off the shadows that seeped into him.

The screaming continued until there was no air left in his lungs. Then, the world went silent and still, as if frozen in time. Atem's arms fell to his sides, limp as if they were broken. A tense moment later, he collapsed completely.

“A-Atem?” Yugi moved closer, almost afraid to touch him but not knowing what else to do.

Everyone else watched in tense silence. Ryo covered his mouth and shook his head. This was his fault. He should have realized long before how different this situation was from the one they knew before this.

Then, Atem started moving again. His body twitched and jerked unnaturally as he climbed to his feet. The glowing didn't stop and when he turned and looked at Yugi, the eyes were like a void. No shine, no light. “Oh, Yugi... Sweet little Yugi.”

“Y-Yami.” Yugi sucked in a shaky breath. “Yami... please. We can work this out.”

“Can we?” Yami stepped closer. Every footfall seemed to leave behind small shreds of darkness. Yami smiled with the lips; the eyes remained apathetic. “Don't lie, Little Light. You wanted me gone just as much as he did.” He reached out.

Yugi flinched as Atem's hand touched his cheek. It was cold. He imagined it's what a corpse would feel like. Yugi didn't know what to say; he felt frozen in place.

His eyes welled up. “Please... bring him back. Let him go...”

“Atem's _gone_ , Yugi.” He almost sounded apologetic. “I am all that remains.”

For a moment, it felt as if something inside Yugi shattered. He felt cold; his chest hurt. It felt as if his heart turned to broken glass and stabbed his insides. He couldn't speak, he couldn't breathe. The coldness surrounded him as the walking corpse stepped closer. Yugi didn't move.

“He knew the consequences of returning like this. Soon, even I will fade and the only thing left of him will be this form. Perhaps it'll give you closure to give him a modern funeral.” He moved in closer and pressed the forehead against Yugi's in a mocking display of affection. “But don't grieve for him, Yugi. There won't be anything left of his soul to hear it.”

Yugi stayed frozen as the cold skin touched his. No, he couldn't be... This wasn't happening. It was all a bad dream.

Something screamed directly into his mind, but it was not a message for him.

 _Kaiba, you_ swore _!_

Seconds later, warmth returned to the area surrounding him as a strong arm wrapped around him. He watched as Kaiba's boot slammed firmly into Atem's chest, clearly knocking the wind out of the phantom holding the pharaoh hostage.

Yami stumbled back only a step away from the cliffside and looked back up. The smile was gone, the expression was completely blank. Yugi could feel himself being pulled further away and, for a moment, he allowed it.

But then he saw arms circle around Yami. The outline was faint like golden wisps just barely outlining a form. He knew without question who it was.

And, if the expression of surprise were any indication, so did Yami. The ghost dragged Yami over the edge before he could cause any more damage.

“Atem!” Flooded with new life, Yugi tried to pull away from Kaiba to follow them over the cliff.

Much to his horror, Kaiba refused to let go with the same stubbornness he would if he were saving Mokuba. He took the height difference to his advantage and picked Yugi up completely. It was far from an easy feat with the smaller duelist clawing at him in attempt to get away and jump after his partner.

If anything, it triggered something primal in Yugi. He didn't like being lifted; it reminded him of times where he couldn't fend for himself as easily. It made him feel completely helpless. And 'helpless' was the last emotion he wanted when his lover needed him.

Yugi pushed at the arm around his torso hard enough that Kaiba was sure it would be bruised by the end of this. But the grip kept on like a vice.

 _“Let me go!”_ He shouted with a glare to the CEO before his eyes turned wildly to the cliffside again. “Atem! _Atem!!_ ”

He barely registered the sound of a helicopter. It hovered above the land and patiently waited for the two. Everyone else had already climbed up; it was probably hoving there for quite a bit.

It was the longest climb of Kaiba's life.

As soon as they were up, Kaiba practically threw Yugi back against the seat and pushed him down again when the smaller man attempted to jump up and possibly dive back out of the helicopter like an idiot.

“Get us out of here!” He snarled to the pilot.

Anzu looked at Kaiba incredulously. “We're not going after him?!”

Kaiba said nothing as he closed the door to the helicopter. Luckily he picked the loudest mode of transportation. He didn't know if he could deal with Anzu's bitching and Yugi's sobbing the entire way.

“We have to get him. He's still alive!” Yugi's voice was raw and course from all the screaming. He stared at Kaiba's back. “Please, Kaiba... we have to go back!”

The CEO didn't turn. He wouldn't give Yugi any indication that he even heard him. He knew Anzu and Jou would do what they could to comfort their friend. Eventually, they would also see the traumatized Ryo and convince him that it wasn't his fault. They all should've seen this coming.

All of them.

“Please. He's still out there. Atem's still alive.” Even the soft pleas felt like shrill cries. The only reason Yugi was no longer screaming his demands was because his throat could no longer take the abuse.

But Kaiba made a deal and he wasn't going to go back on it.

Blue eyes scanned the river in search of a body before they headed away.

He saw nothing but water.

Kaiba forced himself to look away.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .... And I hope the sex scene was enough of a pre-emptive apology for attempting to tear everyone's heart out.  
>  Is it evil if I admit that I've been so excited to write this chapter? I feel like that's an evil thing to admit...


	19. The Search

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that last chapter has been pretty good fuel to spur on all the other chapters after it. I do apologize for waiting a full week with that cliffhanger.

 

The ride back to the hotel was filled with a deathly silence no one was willing to break. Anzu kept an arm around Yugi but feared to say anything that would only drive him further into grief or send him into a rage that would have them wrestling him back into his seat. Kisara noticed the poor state of Ryo and did what she could to silently comfort the pale boy. This wasn't his fault. He was only trying to help his friend.

Jou kept near Yugi and glanced between everyone. His eyes eventually settled on Kaiba who seemed content ignoring everyone in favor of counting his own breaths.

Everyone climbed out of the car when they got to the hotel and headed up to the suite where Kaiba would disappear into a room while everyone else tried to figure out exactly where to go from here.

Only then did someone speak.

“So, ya gonna tell us what all that was about?”

Kaiba stopped walking.

Mokuba looked up at his older brother tensely. “Seto...” He mumbled in attempt to calm the already frayed nerves only he seemed to see.

If Jou saw them, he certainly didn't care enough to tread carefully. He stormed up to Kaiba. “Well?! How the Hell were you so ready to get us out of there?! Were you planning on this? Hoping something bad happened?!”

“Watch your mouth, Jounouchi.” Kaiba glared at the blond. “You're talking about things you don't understand.”

Jou was taken back for a moment as Kaiba used his actual name. But the moment didn't last long. He snarled, his fists moving up as if preparing to fight. “Don't give me that shit! We all know you probably couldn't wait for something like this. How petty could you be?!”

“You're wrong, Jou.” A hand came up and gently pushed down Jou's fist. Yugi looked at the ground, eyes swollen and throat still raw.

Everyone looked at the game king in surprise.

“I heard him. He called out to you. He said you swore.” Yugi looked up at Kaiba. His eyes seemed intent on staring the CEO down. “What did you swear to do?”

Kaiba stared at Yugi. He thought of that moment Atem took away his phone.

_Atem stared ahead into the middle distance and thought long and hard about what he was going to say. “I know you understand wanting to protect someone from harm. And I've seen you do so with such a one-track, stubborn, bullheaded-”_

_“Get to the point, Pharaoh.”_

_“Right, yes.” He sucked in a deep breath. “I fear this may grow to be more dangerous than any of us can handle. And... I know without a doubt, Yugi will do whatever he can to stay by and help, even at the risk of his own demise.”_

_Kaiba snorted. He definitely wasn't wrong about that._

_“So, I'm asking, if this comes to a situation where he could be brought to harm and I am useless... would you protect him as you do Mokuba?”_

_“You're saying if you die or something-”_

_“Make sure he makes it out alive and unharmed, yes.” Atem glanced up at him with a grim look. “Please. I don't know what Yami may try. Yugi might be in immediate danger if something goes wrong.”_

“I don't see how that is any of your business, Mutou.”

“It's my business because I know it has something to do with me.” Yugi stared at him. “What, did he ask you to drag me out of there?”

Kaiba didn't answer.

It was all the answer he needed. Yugi let out a soft, humorless laugh. “He did, didn't he?”

Jou thought about what Kaiba said to him back in New York. He didn't know what it meant back there, but it all was making sense now. He crossed his arms. “I don't get it, Kaiba. You never listened to a word Atem said; why start now?”

Kaiba sneered. “The fact that you think this is all about Atem is laughable. Did you ever stop to consider that you idiots might be dead right now if it weren't for me? What was the plan?” He looked to Ryo, “to just summon the demon and see how that goes?” He glared at Jou, “to try hitting him a couple of times?” He looked at Anzu and Yugi, “to see if 'love' and 'friendship' win out in the end?” He snarled at them, eyes flashing between them all. “At least _he_ had a fallback plan. Even if it was just the same 'keep Yugi safe' bullshit he's always spouting!”

Yugi glared through his tears. “We didn't have to leave him behind. I could have worked this out with him!”

“At what price, Yugi? What would we do? Tie it up and hope it listens to you? While you're trying to reason with it, the bastard could get loose and take us all out. And if you for one-second claim to see the 'good' in Yami, you're lying to yourself and to everyone else here.”

“Seto.”

Kaiba glanced at Kisara.

The girl was frowning at him.

He regained his composure and stared at all of them. “Now, I have work to do. You idiots can stand around crying about your dead friend once again dying.” He turned and marched into the other room.

Kisara followed after him and shut the door behind them. For a moment, she just stared silently at his back.

“What do you want?”

She's seen people jump at the tone he used and the suddenness of his demand. But Kisara always found it hard to be intimidated by Seto Kaiba. Something about him always made her think of a stray cat; angry looking and will possibly try to kill you but really he just needed a place to feel safe.

So she didn't jump. Instead, her look stayed thoughtful. “I'm not going to pretend I understand. This is all like some sort of inside joke I was never around to get.”

His shoulders fell a little.

“But I have a lot of intuition about this. Atem was important to all of you, right?” She took a step closer. “I mean, why else would you wait so long to stop him from getting close to Yugi.”

He looked over his shoulder.

“You know, it's odd watching all of you. You and Mokuba talk about how you never had a family beyond each other but... maybe you just never wanted to admit that they were it?”

He didn't say anything as he turned and faced her completely. He moved closer.

Kisara only tensed when Kaiba wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder. She then felt emotions as if she were him. Pain, sorrow, a tinge of regret. She smiled softly. “You love those idiots.”

“Don't get ahead of yourself.”

“I promise I'll keep your secret.” She returned the gesture, her arms moved and gently wrapped around his back. “It's sort of nice being one of the two people who know Seto Kaiba is a big sap.”

Despite himself, Kaiba's lips twitched into a small smile.

“But we should still go find your friend.”

The smile faded just as quickly.

 

-

 

Shortly after Kaiba stormed off into the other room, Yugi walked himself to the room he shared with Atem. When Anzu, Ryo, and Jou tried to follow him, they were stopped by a smile.

“I just need a little bit of time alone. I have... something to figure out.” It wasn't really a lie. There was a lot to think about.

He didn't have a plan yet. And, while Atem had taken proper precautions to protect him, he couldn't be sure they were going to be given the same treatment.

Once he stepped into the room, he regretted it. Looking around almost caused him to see the ghost of Atem from only hours before.

He tried to shake off the feeling before it could consume him. Looking back would not help him get Atem home.

It was a few minutes of pacing in the room before the hotel room door opened again. Yugi turned to see Mokuba staring at him seriously. “You're not going to be able to do anything alone.”

Yugi frowned and nodded. “Yeah, I know.” Something on the far wall caught his eye and became very interesting.

“But Seto's not coming to help.”

“Yeah, I know. Thank you, Mokuba.”

“And I'm guessing you don't want anyone else to get in trouble, considering how close you were to dying.”

Yugi rubbed his temples. “Yes! Thank you! Mokuba!” He sucked in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Sorry... I didn't mean to snap at you.”

They stood in silence for a moment. Then, Mokuba spoke up again. “What if I know a way to get everyone to come. Seto will help with all the same intensity as he does when he duels.”

Yugi turned and looked at him in confusion. “...How?”

The younger Kaiba grinned at the game king and held up a car key with a single “KC” keychain attached. “You know how to get back to Atem?”

Yugi blinked then quickly pieced together what Mokuba was saying. He smiled. “Yeah.”

Meanwhile, back in the suite, everyone was still tense. Although Ryo was starting to surface out of his own self guilt and they were accepting that Yugi simply needed a moment to think about this, Kaiba had left behind a ripple when he stormed out of the room. They all knew it wasn't easy for him to understand. But, if they were lucky, he might be reasoned with.

If not then Jounouchi was reach to pummel him and steal the helicopter to go see if he could find the pharaoh himself.

There was a light knock on the door.

Jou blinked and answered to find one of the maids.

She smiled lightly. “So sorry to disturb you but two young men left this letter for Mr. Kaiba?”

“Yeah, I'll take it. Thanks.” For a moment, he thought about just delivering it to the jackass but then he recognized the handwriting and curiosity struck hard.

He read the letter. Slowly, an amused smirk came over his face before he turned in a sing-song voice. “Oh, Kaaiibaaa! I got something you might want to read!”

It was a quick letter but it got across the message pretty clear:

_“Dear Seto,_

_Whoops! Looks like some guy named 'Yugi Mutou' kidnapped me! You're gonna have to hunt us both down if you want to kick his ass or make sure I don't get killed or something._

_Love,_

_Mokuba_

_P.S: …..Sorry._

_-Yugi_

_P.P.S: He's not sorry. Don't believe him! He's a madman and he'll bring about the end of the world!!!_

_-Mokuba”_

 

-

 

_You selfish little insect._

Yes, you're right. I am being selfish by not allowing him to come to harm. So horrible. I'm practically Satan.

_You couldn't just disappear and allow the shadows to tear you apart like a normal soul._

It's not my fault you forgot I wasn't a 'normal soul.'

_...Hm. Fair point. Not that it matters now. Be it normal, god, or monster, we won't survive for long like this._

…

_You know I'm right. I wonder if it'll be painful, to cease to be._

What was your plan? Was this it?

_I don't see how it matters now._

All the more reason to tell me... we could have learned to live with one another. Maybe even you could have learned to enjoy living without needing to bring about 'judgment.'

_I had no intention of being a part of your already unnatural band of misfits. Can we please just rot in silence?_

No.

_Of course not, you stubborn old hawk._

Hawk? Out of all the animals to compare me to, you choose a hawk.

_…I thought it was a proper comparison...._

I'll... allow you to continue to think that. Last question: You started to love him too. Didn't you?

_…._

...I'll take your choice to 'rot in silence' as a yes.

 

-

 

Being the target of so many people make Mokuba create an internal list of people he would trust with his life if it ever came down to world saving or simply helping and saving him. Seto Kaiba was always, undisputed number one in his book and nothing would ever knock his big brother out of that top stop. In normal cases, Yugi was either number two or number three, depending on the level of violence needed to save him. If the guy holding him hostage wasn't going down diplomatically and Seto was somehow out of the picture, Jounouchi bumped Yugi from spot number two.

Regardless, Mokuba would always trust Yugi not to let him die.

But then there was a special circumstance. Like, say someone Yugi cared about immensely was in grave danger. And Mokuba had given him keys to one of Seto's fastest cars.

Then Yugi might get them both killed by way of horrible, fiery car accident. Don't get him wrong; Mokuba was used to Seto driving at high speeds and cutting people off but the older Kaiba did it seamlessly. As if he were planning it steps ahead.

Yugi's seemed more of an improvisation. The car jerked into a new lane and sped up around an unfortunate slow driver, his hand white knuckling the stick shift as he forced it into a new gear.

Mokuba felt like his heart would explode out of his chest. He'd never been so happy to be of a major highway and onto the final road near their destination.

When they finally got near the edge of the deadzone, Yugi stopped the car. He stared intently into the desert. “Mokuba, does your brother have any sentimental attachment to this car?”

Mokuba thought about it for a moment. “I think he only bought it because he wanted something that would be able to get him through the city pretty fast.”

Yugi nodded and turned the car around. He returned to the road, a small broken down patch of highway where there were no other drivers. Yugi turned and faced the deadzone again and stopped in the middle of the road.

He revved the engine.

Then threw it into first and slammed his foot down on the gas pedal.

The car roared and flew down the road. With a small adjustment, they were on the sand and flying through without any intent on stopping.

For a moment, then engine screamed. Then, it died completely. All the lights from the car shut off. Still, it shot forward like the giant toy car it was reduced to.

Yugi put it in neutral and positioned his foot to hover over the brake. He winced with each bump in the sand, knowing it would slow down the car earlier than he wanted.

Mokuba had another concern. He knew by way of hiking, the distance to the cliff felt like forever. However now they were in a car, going much faster as well as in the middle of the night. Their light source only came from the moon. To him, that cliffside could appear any second.

But Yugi's eyes stayed ahead intently. He gripped the steering wheel. Then slammed on the brakes.

The car slid, turning sideways for a moment before coming to a stop. Mokuba let out a breath and looked down at the arm positioned to keep him from getting whiplash or just slamming into the dashboard.

It took him a moment to process that Yugi had slipped out of the car.

The car stopped near the cliffside where Atem fell. As Yugi approached, he moved slowly. As if a single misstep could return him to hours ago where he would have to relive his failure.

He ignored his memories; his visions of a cold body smiling at him with eyes dim and lifeless. The movements completely unnatural. The frozen touch.

Yugi's eyes fell onto some markings where the Earth had given way under Atem's weight. He looked over the edge and saw the dark water below. There was a small shine from the moon.

Then a blinding light and wind from above.

He and his companion looked up. Mokuba grimaced. “Looks like the message was received pretty fast.”

Yugi turned back to the cliff as a tall shadow appeared from the helicopter door and moved out to stand on the landing gear. He couldn't let them drag him away again. Not until he found Atem.

As Kaiba jumped from the helicopter, Yugi jumped from the cliff and into the river.

Mokuba's eyes shot open wide. “Are you crazy?!”

Kaiba sprinted to the cliffside and looked over to see Yugi surface and swim around in search of something, anything that would help him tell where the other ended up. It didn't take long for Jou to find his way out of the helicopter and down to the river himself. He moved out just enough to grab Yugi and pull him back to the less steep river bank. “What's the plan, buddy?”

Yugi panted and stared out into the river again. “His body's not here. He's still around somewhere.” His eyes scanned further downstream.

Kaiba followed the gaze when he reached the two. “If he was conscious when he hit the water, he could have swam to the side.” From where he was standing, he could see lights and houses along the river. “Or, if he was unconscious, someone could have found him.”

The other two followed the gaze.

Jou grinned. “I guess that's worth a shot.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the next chapter just needs a little tweaking. It should be out pretty soon!   
> But, for today, I'm going to Comic Con! So, I'll see you guys later.


	20. The Search Side B

Atem would never know exactly how much time he was in that water, fighting with Yami. For all he knew, he could have been under for just a moment. Or five. Or an hour. He didn't remember not breathing.

Maybe he died. He couldn't be sure.

But somewhere along the line, it became clear neither of them were to be torn apart. Instead, it became a fight for control.

Yami looked at him coldly. “It would seem we're back to square one, saying you survive after this. You can have your body back; with it's possibly infected wound and lung full of water. Hopefully, you were able to become a better swimmer at some point in your experiences.”

He was then a little more aware of his situation. He was floating. There was a vague feeling of his body moving through the water then the ground on his back. He moved a little further, dragged onto land. Something pumped against his chest in a pattern.

His mouth was forced open and his nose pinched closed. A mouth on his. Air forced into his body.

Repeat.

“Where did you learn this?” The feminine voice sounded muffled. It sounded.... familiar.

“Believe it or not, I didn't want everyone dead.” A male voice. It was closer to him, possibly attached to the hands on his torso.

The mouth returned to his and forced in more air.

Atem's eyes shot open as his body rejected the water in his lungs. He coughed it up into the unfortunate face and mouth of his savior.

He spat it back out and tried to hide his disgust as he pulled Atem into a sitting position. “Keep breathing, Pharaoh. Don't die again; We'll probably be in a lot of trouble if you do.”

He coughed and sputtered up more water until he could breathe a little easier. He looked up at his saviors. “M-Marik?”

Marik raised an eyebrow. “I would ask why you're alive but I think we all know the reason. Instead I'll just skip to 'what were you doing trying to drown in the Nile?'”

“It... wasn't an ideal situation.” His voice was soft. He was almost afraid he would just end up coughing up more water. He sighed. “But very little of my return had been completely ideal.” He touched the still healing stitches on his side.

Ishizu moved in. “Perhaps it would be better to continue this conversation somewhere you can get properly cleaned.” She eyes her brother. “You as well, Marik.”

He nodded and turned back to Atem. “Do you think you can walk? It's not far.”

He moved his legs and nodded when he was sure the fall hadn't broken anything. He climbed to his feet hesitantly, feeling slightly dazed as he settled on his own two legs.

The two siblings led Atem through the small village.

 

-

 

When they walked in the door, Atem was immediately met with the smell of something cooking. He was nearly salivating, much to his surprise as one would think a near-death experience would be enough to make him lose his appetite.

Ishizu stepped into the other room as Marik ushered Atem to a table with three seats.

Both of them could hear Ishizu talking lowly and calmly. The sound of something metal clattered against the countertop.

Atem glanced at Marik. The former tomb keeper leaned against the far wall. Clearly, he was not happy to see the pharaoh. Honestly, Atem couldn't blame him.

When Atem went to open his mouth and speak to Marik, Ishizu walked back out with Rishid right behind her.

The two of them stared at each other for a moment before Rishid walked over. Atem jumped out of his chair when the much larger man suddenly dropped to his knee and bowed his head respectively. “Pharaoh.”

Atem shook his head. “No. No that's not-”

“He's not here for us, Rishid. You don't have to worry about being overly polite.” Marik eyed Atem. “He's just like the rest of us now.”

The ex-pharaoh sighed and returned to his seat. “Y-yes. Well, it would seem I have more in common with a past version of you than I do with anyone else.”

Marik raised an eyebrow. “Oh, yeah?”

Ishizu and Rishid sat at the two extra seats and looked to their guest. They waited patiently for him to elaborate.

Atem looked to all of them. Something about this was painful. All three of them were worse off simply because of his existence. And now, when they were finally free, here he was again.

But could he really refuse to tell them? He already owed them a huge debt for not only helping guide him to the afterlife but also for saving his life here.

Shadows flickered at the corner of his mind as if to remind him of what caused him to be here in the first place. “There's... a parasite with me.”

_You flatter me._

“It took form when I came to be. I came here because I wanted to fight it off before it could bring harm to someone.” He looked around to the three and noticed how they all shifted uncomfortably. The two older siblings would occasionally glance at Marik.

Atem sighed and moved to stand up. “But this isn't your problem. Thank you for saving my life; I'm in your debt. But I should leave now.” He stopped moving when Marik moved closer and placed a hand on his shoulder.

He pushed him back into his chair. “It sounds like if anyone should be helping you, it's us so you're staying put.”

No one argued with Marik. Instead, Ishizu stood back up. “Rishid has prepared dinner and made more than enough if you would like to partake.”

“No, I couldn't.”

She pretended that she didn't hear him. When she came back out, it was with four plates. She ushered her younger brother into a seat and pulled another chair in from another room.

Atem's focus turned to the plate in front of him. Because of his nerves, he'd skipped breakfast and managed to avoid every opportunity Yugi gave him to eat something. Now, his stomach hurt from how much it needed food.

He tried starting out with polite bites. It didn't last long. He barely even realized he was stuffing his face full until he noticed everyone staring at him.

He slowly chewed as his eyes darted from one Ishtar to the other. Once his mouth was empty again, he regained his composure. “It's delicious. Thank you for the meal.”

Ishizu smiled. “I was right to bring you a plate then.”

Marik chewed thoughtfully and returned to the task at hand. “I'm assuming everyone's going to be looking for you?”

Atem looked back down at his plate. He felt his heart sink as he remembered being up on that cliffside. When he was finally pushed from his body, he was still able to see the heartbreak. Then the sheer panic when he forced Yami to fall. “Yes. I wouldn't doubt it.”

Marik sighed. “You were trying to Challenge the Shadow.”

Ishizu frowned. “That spiritual void south of here?” She looked at Atem. “Why would you go there?”

“I felt it was my last option.” He didn't want to look at them and continued to focus on the food. “I guess I became a little desperate.” He closed his eyes, thinking about the fear on the face of that man in the alley the other day. It felt like it was so long ago now that Yami was losing his patience and threatening Atem's friends. He didn't want to find out how long it would be until he demanded the sacrifice of Jou. Or worse.

Marik raised an eyebrow. “You do remember that you have a tomb, right? If there were any place to fight off this parasite, it would be there. That dumb patch of dirt's just a cheap parlor trick by comparison.”

Rishid looked up with a thought. “The shadow magic should still be rather potent. The veil was only closed a few years ago.”

“Not to mention it was tailor made for you.”

Atem blinked repeatedly. “You think it would work?”

“Of course. It's also your best option.”

He nodded. “Then that's where I'll go. Thank you.”

Marik looked at him flatly. “Where we'll _all_ go. It's not exactly a location you can walk to from here.”

He wanted to argue and say he could find a way on his own. He would rather not put anyone in danger again. But he also knew he didn't have any money on him to call for some sort of public transportation. Even if he did, he wasn't positive of the tomb's location from his current position.

As hesitant as he was to bring the Ishtars back into his affairs, there was probably a reason it was Marik who found him and not a complete stranger.

He sucked in a deep breath. “Right.”

Ishizu then stood up. “If you would like, we can call Yugi and let him know...” She trailed off as all the blood drained from the ex-pharaoh's face.

He swallowed thickly. “A-actually, it might be best I speak to him myself. If you wouldn't mind.”

The three looked to one another before Marik pulled out his phone and handed it to Atem. “We'll get everything ready to go. Let us know when you're ready.”

Atem looked at the phone in his hand. He barely registered the movement around him as dinner was cleared away. He didn't know how long he sat there looking at the phone. He could only think about how much stress he probably caused his partner in the span of a few hours.

He didn't need any spiritual connection to know Yugi was worried sick and probably searching for him. The very least he could do was ease his mind.

Atem searched through Marik's contacts and landed on Yugi's name. His heartbeat slammed in his ear as he hit 'Call.'

 

-

 

Most people in the small town hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary floating in the river, much less an actual human body. A lot of them thought it was a joke.

And a few of them yelled and screamed as they disturbed the calmness with said alleged prank.

But Yugi didn't want to stop searching. Even as it was getting late and the streets were holding less and less people, he needed to know Atem was somewhere safe. If he wasn't in the river, he must have been pulled out or walked out himself.

“Yugi, maybe it would be best to find a place for the night. We can keep searching first thing in the morning.” Anzu said as they knocked on another door where no one was answering.

Yugi shook his head. “If we stop now, Atem could be completely gone by morning.” He had to be here. Where else would the current take him?

Yugi jumped when his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and frowned. Marik rarely called him unless it was horribly important. He pressed accept. “Hello?”

Someone on the other end took in a shuttering breath.

“Marik? Is everything alright?”

“...Yes.” A voice that was not Marik's spoke then let out a soft, humorless laugh. “Well, I guess not.”

Yugi's hear skipped several beats. Tears formed in his eyes. “A-Atem?”

Everyone turned and looked at Yugi.

“I'm so sorry, Yugi. I didn't want you to have to go through this. I just... I wanted us both to have something... well, much more normal. None of this dark magic or other personalities.”

Yugi huffed a laugh of his own. “When will anything we do be normal?” He wiped at his tears and sniffled. “Where are you?”

“Currently? I'm not sure; it's a small house on the outskirts of a town. But we're going back to my tomb. And there, we'll finish this once and for all.”

“Okay. We'll meet you there.”

There was silence on the other end for an uncomfortably long time. Then, “Yugi. It won't be safe for you or anyone else.”

Yugi frowned. “You say that like it's supposed to stop me.”

“Y-”

“No matter what, we do this together. That's the way it's always been.”

“I won't have you risk your life for me!”

“Then you know exactly how _I_ feel!”

Any words Atem had prepared vanished from his mind when Yugi snapped back.

Yugi shook and glared through his tears as if he were looking directly at Atem. “You can't just suddenly come back into my life, say you're here for the long run, then try to do something that might make you disappear again! Not while I can only stand on the sidelines. We. Work. Together. That's the way it'll always be. So stop leaving me out of it!”

The silence returned. When Atem spoke again, there was a smile in his voice. “By the Gods, I love you.”

The anger fled and Yugi relaxed a fraction. “I love you too.” He smiled back. “We'll see you at the tomb.” He turned and looked at the group as Kaiba rolled his eyes and gestured for everyone to head back the way they came.

On Atem's end, he headed outside where two motorcycles where waiting. Rishid was already on one with a sidecar. Marik held a helmet as he turned and watched Atem walk out.

“Yes. We'll see you there.” It was a quick goodbye from there.

As soon as he hung up, Marik pushed the helmet into his hands. “If we're quick, we should get there in a little under an hour.”

Atem nodded and glanced over as Ishizu climbed into the sidecar. “The sooner, the better.” It was about time they ended this.

 

-

 

He didn't know exactly how it worked. It never occurred to him that being too close to Atem might bring him forth as well. But Mahad couldn't find it in him to complain. At least he would be able to be of some assistance to his master and his friend.

He was confused when he awoke in the pharaoh's tomb without Atem anywhere to be found. Instead, he heard the voices of strangers. Trespassers who dared try to barge in and claim was wasn't theirs, no doubt.

He made quick work of them. Anyone in the tomb was trapped and punished for their trespasses. Anyone who ran out of the tomb was spared, hopefully to warn others away.

A day later, a man who looked vaguely like Atem's love came to the tomb. He didn't say anything as the man demanded answers. Mahad didn't need to answer to him; his duty was to Atem and no one else.

He knew this man wouldn't wander far. From his position near the tomb's entrance, he could see the tents and the fire at night. In the morning, he would find a plate of food right on the ground near him.

Mahad left it untouched.

He didn't know why he was here. But he knew it would probably have something to do with the Gods knowing Atem would need him. And so, he would stay vigilant until the day he would see his majesty again.

 

-

 

Atem was relieved when they came to the site and there was no sign of a Kaiba Corp helicopter. Instead he was met with a small amount of confusion when he climbed off Marik's bike to see a tent. “Who else would be here?”

“Aside from everyone you know and love?” Marik looked around. “But they'd be out here and hanging off you by now.”

Atem clenched his fists and walked to the tent. He invited himself inside, expecting some strange excavation team here to root his tomb, possibly once again in search of the items buried here. Instead, he was met with surprise. “Mr. Mutou?”

Shunsuke snapped around. His eyes were bloodshot and forced as wide as they could go. He looked at Atem with familiarity and a small amount of fear. “I'm sorry, Atem. I... I wasn't expecting you.”

“I could say the same.” He stepped closer. “What are you doing here?”

“I....” He shook his head. “It's not important. I'm just here.” he brought a shaking hand up and ran it through his hair. “And there was a team in your tomb who all lost their lives because of me.”

“Well, you shouldn't be rooting around where you don't belong.”

Atem shot a glare at Marik.

Shunsuke frowned. “Who are you?”

“Someone who knows this tomb pretty well. Well enough to know those people in that tomb are now lost souls most likely being torn apart by the monsters lurking-”

“I think that's quite enough.” Atem clenched his jaw and returned his gaze to Shunsuke. “Mr. Mutou, this is a dangerous place. You shouldn't be here. I can go in and see if maybe your team can be saved but I can't make any promises.”

Shunsuke nodded and slowly looked away. “I tried talking to the gatekeeper in hopes he would let them go but you'll probably have much more luck.”

“Gatekeeper?”

Shunsuke stood up and walked out of the tent to look over at the tomb. “He hasn't said a word to me or even accepted anything to try and ease his tension to me. But he is protecting your tomb so if there's anyone who could get him to open up, it would be you.”

Atem didn't need to hear anymore. He nearly sprinted down to the entrance to see who Shunsuke spoke of.

He stopped when he noticed the tall figure sitting on the ground with his eyes shut as if he were sleeping. The long gold staff in his grip told Atem otherwise.

Atem stepped closer, slowly.

Mahad opened one eye before he stood up. Then, immediately took a knee and bowed his head to Atem. “It's good to see you in good health.”

Atem laughed and, before he could help himself, ran over and threw his arms around his friend. “I thought you were lost!”

Mahad blinked in surprise and weakly returned the gesture before he carefully pushed himself out of the grip. “Yes, well it would seem I'm still of use to you here.” He held Atem by the shoulders. “I know you have a mission and I will not hold you back from it. I can sense the urgency. Please rid yourself of this dark entity as quickly and safely as possible.”

Atem nodded and looked at Mahad seriously. “We also need to release the men and women trapped in here.”

“So it shall be.” Mahad released Atem. “For now, you have your own demons and I pray for your safety in these times.” He stepped out of the way and allowed Atem to walk passed.

The other stopped right before the door and turned to Mahad. The Ishtars and Shunsuke were getting close to them and Atem knew, in time, Yugi and the others would be here. For a moment, he hesitated as if debating on waiting. Something in him considered it before it was shut down by the thought of countless men and women trapped in agony in his tomb.

Not to mention the existence of his dark counterpart that felt as if he were eating away at his very being.

He looked to his newest companion. “I have a request.”

“Of course.”

“Be sure all of them are kept safe. I can't be sure how this will work out in the end.”

Mahad smiled. “I'll protect them with my life if need be.”

“Thank you, my friend.” With that, Atem pressed his palm against the door and opened it with little effort. A moment after it closed behind him, there was the sound of a helicopter overhead.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Characters!  
> I'm always confused on whether it's Malik or Marik so I apologize if I got it wrong and I'll fix it if I did.


	21. A King's Will

The tomb was nearly pitch black when he stepped into it and the door closed. But somehow, Atem knew where he was heading. And when his eyes adjusted, he was able to make out the shapes of items scattered about.

But then he walked through a doorway and it was if the room itself could sense his presence. Suddenly, there was fire and light from the torches on the wall. Around him were bodies, all with their eyes open in terror, all with a third eye.

“These must be the people Mahad trapped.”

 _It wouldn't take much to end this now with simply a slice to one of their throats. They wouldn't feel it and no one would know._ Yami looked up thoughtfully. _Although, because you decided to test my patience, it may take eight or nine people. Or one very important sacrifice._

Atem ignored Yami and looked around the room. He could see pieces of gold scattered throughout. He picked up a piece and his heart immediately jumped in an instinctual anxiety.

It was the Puzzle.

 _Well, I guess we do this the hard way._ Yami sighed and crossed his arms. _Fine. Atem, let's play a game._

Atem's eyes shot open wide as the third eye appeared and his body collapsed to the floor. The new magic forced a ripple through and broke Mahad's spell. All the other men and women looked up and around before the panic returned to them and they ran out.

Only one stayed behind to look curiously at the only other person in the room not running for their lives. She pursed her lip and felt for his pulse.

The pulse was there but there was something wrong. As if this passed out man could kill her. Something inside her screamed to get away and run while she still had the legs to do so.

She immediately obliged.

 

-

 

The helicopter barely touched down before Yugi jumped from it and ran for the entrance to the tomb. From the air, he could see the people standing near it. He stopped running only when he saw Atem was missing from the group. Strangers ran from the tomb, one of which looked to his father and babbled about their souls being trapped in darkness.

Marik turned and looked at Yugi.

“He went in, didn't he?” The duel king looked nearly manic, a look he tried his best to cover up.

Marik nodded. “You just missed him.” He looked back at Mahad. “But I don't know if you'll be able to follow.”

Yugi followed his eye. When his eyes locked onto Mahad's, he could tell the priest would stand by stubbornly. But he had to try. He walked up to him. “We both know I need to get through you.”

Mahad gripped his staff tightly. “I am to keep you all safe by order of my Pharaoh. It's not safe in the tomb with his battle.”

Jou spoke up as he made his way over. “He could be in danger too, you know. Without us there-”

“It was his choice to enter this world. You should trust he knows how to handle this himself.”

“Maybe you should remember that he's just a guy!”

Mahad looked at Jou coolly. “Watch your tone, please. I would rather not have to silence you myself.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Simply stating my feelings on the matter. My order is to keep you safe and if I must cause harm myself to keep one of you from losing your lives then so be it. The word of the Pharaoh cannot be ignored simply because it's inconvenient to you.” He narrowed his eyes at all of them. “Now, you will do as I and wait with patience. Trust that Atem can handle this even if he is, as you say, 'just a guy.'”

Anzu frowned and looked at everyone before she stopped on Mahad. “I don't know if we can just wait by.”

“You have no other choice.” Mahad closed his eyes. “By now, the battle has already begun. There is very little any of us can do now.”

They all looked to one another.

 

-

 

The game they played was simple. A group of objects from within the tomb were spread among the floor. Each object pulled a being from the other realm and were put in a position to fight either another creature or strike into the one commanding them. Each attack on one another would cause them to fade from the world and into the shadows where these monsters and creatures would undoubtedly tear them apart until they were nothing more than shards in the shadows.

It had similar qualities to Duel Monsters only extremely high stakes. However, Atem quickly found the creatures summoned where not necessarily cooperative. He lost part of his face when some strange goblin creature snapped around and attacked him rather than his opponent.

Yami watched from the other side of the room with a small, calm smile on his face.

“It looks as though you may not make it out of this one, Your Highness. I would say you have three more full-on attacks before you're completely gone from your own soul room.”

Atem's hand hesitated over an item; a worn dagger. He pulled back to look up at Yami. “You don't seem to be faring much better. If another attack hits your arm, how will you be able to even select an item?”

“Lovely how you're concerned about me, Atem. Honestly, though, I'm not too worried about being victorious or not in this game. Either way, I will win in the end.”

“Then why not simply throw yourself into the shadows now?” He snarled at the phantom.

Yami chuckled. “My how bitter you've become. We both know neither of us would allow that. Not when we still have a game to play. Winning by default is barely winning at all.”

Atem moved away from the dagger and moved for a gold armbrace instead. It pulled forth some sort of wolf creature that took out one of Yami's shadow men without even the order to do so.

Yami's smile faded slightly. “It would seem maybe your luck will take a turn for the better.” Two more shadow men came forth with a touch to a jar. One took out the wolf while the other made a beeline for Atem and took a long sword down his chest.

Yami stood up straighter as they returned to his side. “Or maybe not.”

Atem trembled as he stood up a little straighter. “It's... not over yet.”

“So I can tell.”

 

-

 

“As a former tombkeeper, I should be allowed access-”

“The Pharaoh has returned home. He has no more use for you in his tomb.” Mahad didn't even look up at Marik as he said it. “You have been relieved of this position. Do not assume me to be ignorant to that fact.”

Jou was the next to speak up. “Alright, how about Kaiba then? Isn't he some sort of Pharaoh descendant or something?”

Kaiba looked at the blond in annoyance before his gaze turned to the gatekeeper with piqued curiosity. “Really, though. Would you take an order from me?”

Mahad smirked. “I think you already know the answer. Not that it matters; you are reluctant to let them through the door as well.”

Kisara shot a glare at Mahad. “What if someone tried to force you to move?”

“It would do you well to avoid that attempt. You lack your claws and fangs in this form while I still have control over my abilities.”

Kisara blinked in confusion. “What do you mean by that?” Her question was ignored.

Mahad just looked at the group again, tired this time or speaking to everyone about this. “Please, can we all just trust this is for the best? I would rather not be on this side of the door, the same as you. But this is the order and there is little that can be done.”

No one spoke for a long time after that. The silence was just as it was back in New York. They all stood by, only waiting to find out if Atem would make it out of this alive. Only this time, there were no doctors to keep them out.

Just one really stubborn magician.

It was Ryo that suddenly broke the silence. He looked at Yugi, who returned to a look of deep concentration and worry. Then he looked up at Mahad. “There must be some way for us to get in there.”

Mahad opened one eye and regarded Ryo for a moment. “For _you_? Absolutely not. You're the one most prone to deadly shadow magic among all of them. There is no order be it a king or a god that would let me open the door for you.”

Ryo winced and looked away. “That's... fair, I guess. But what if I'm not asking for me?”

“The order was to 'be sure all of them are kept safe.' That is why I stand here now. There is no order more absolute than that of a pharaoh.”

Yugi snapped his head around to look at Mahad as a thought hit him hard. “Orders from a pharaoh. That's it.”

Anzu and Jou looked at him in confusion.

Yugi didn't stay. He walked right up to Mahad and looked at him sternly. “Mahad.”

The priest looked at Yugi.

“I was visited by Atem's father only a few weeks ago with the request to be sure his son isn't consumed by the shadows. That would make it a task given to me by Pharaoh Akhenamkanen, wouldn't it? One you prevent me from doing by keeping me out by _Atem's_ order?”

Mahad stared at him blankly.

“By keeping me out, you're disregarding a direct order from a pharaoh. As you said, there is no order more absolute.”

Mahad still stared for a moment. Then he smiled in a way that made it clear he was defeated. “The order of either holds weight. I don't know what I would do if Atem were a little less vague with his demand.” Mahad stepped out of the way. “You may enter in order to ensure the protection of Pharaoh Atem.” That small smile held and he could almost hear Mahad add a plea to 'bring him home.'

Yugi smiled back and nodded. “Thank you.” He walked through.

Only to stop when he heard someone running toward them. Mahad stepped back into place. “Only Yugi may enter.”

He turned to see Anzu and Jou standing by.

Anzu looked at him with a stern gaze of her own. “Be safe, Yugi.”

Yugi nodded and smiled at her. “I will.” He turned and pushed open the stone door. A dim light greeted him when he entered, one that got increasingly brighter with each step throughout the tomb.

“Atem?” He looked around as he called out for the pharaoh. “Where are you?”

There was no response.

He followed into the light. It didn't take him long to notice the brightly lit room that lit his way. He moved closer, slowly at first.

Then he sprinted when he saw the body on the floor.

“Atem!” Something in him forced him to pause right in the doorway. As he took in the room, he saw the gold pieces of the Puzzle.

His heart sank as he considered what this might mean. Was it possible for Atem to once again be trapped in the item? Did Yami have that ability?

Would solving it be enough to free him again?

It was definitely worth a shot. Yugi shook off the fear that warned him away from the room and stepped forward despite it. He felt a strange pull just one step below painful as he walked through the threshold.

Something compelled him to look back. He stared into his own wide, unseeing eyes and watched as his body stumbled and fell back against the wall outside. He winced and watched it sink. That pain would probably translate if or when he got back.

He turned back then to find no Atem. No puzzle pieces. Just a few scattered toys, a bed, and an Atem doll propped up on the pillow. The door where he left his body disappeared and became a solid wall to cement him into the room.

His soul room.

Yugi walked over to the bed and gently picked up the small doll. Its little beady eyes looked worn and the hair looked a little more frayed than its real-life counterpart's. The little cape had a few holes in it.

Yugi hugged it to his chest and looked over at the door. He expected it to be completely shut and locked tight as it was when he first came here. To his surprise, it was slightly ajar.

He walked up and pressed on the door. Still, it didn't budge. He could only peer through and see the dark room on the other side. There was stone like that of the soul room he remembered before Atem knew his name.

Yugi sighed and leaned his head against the door. He closed his eyes. “Atem. I know what you're trying to do and I know you want to keep me safe. I know this because it's what I want for you too.” He looked up at the door. “But keeping us apart is not the way to do this. We can get through this. I could take on anything with you. But... but you have to open this door first.”

The door stood solidly for a moment.

“Please, Atem. I can't lose you again. I just... I want to go home. We can get on with our life. But we can't do that if we're separated like this.”

Another moment and the door still didn't budge. Then, slowly, it started to give under Yugi.

He looked up in surprise and pushed at the door. It opened slowly and revealed a throne room with just barely enough light.

Until Yugi stepped inside.

 

-

 

The final blow landed just as the soul room became brighter. Both parties looked at the door. Yugi stepped in and looked around, not spotting them yet.

Atem tried to smile at him but his lips were nowhere to be seen. Instead, he was forced to just look as the remainder of his body faded. At least he got to see Yugi one last time.

Yugi's eyes locked onto the spot where Atem was fading. “Atem!” He ran over and reached out as if his touch would be enough to bring him back.

His fingertips just barely grazed the wisps of darkness. Yugi stared at the spot for a moment, his thoughts nothing but static.

Yami said nothing from his position. He could feel himself beginning to fade as well. Atem being lost means he would eventually have to follow. He smiled as his eyes saw nothing but black.

But then something grabbed his wrist and he was yanked back into the soul room by a light. He could feel it burn him.

“Yami...” Yugi was seething, his grip tight as if he wanted to break the wrist in his hand.

Yami would be lying if he didn't admit there was a small tingle of fear in him, as well as a certain physical attraction that pooled deep in his lower abdomen. His body was responding strongly to Yugi.

But this was all the last thing on the game king's mind. Yugi trembled as if his form didn't know what to do with all the rage in him. “Bring. Him. Back.”

Yami blinked and hesitantly opened his mouth. “I cannot do that, Little Light. He knew the stakes of the challenge.”

The grip on him loosened ever so slightly.

“His soul will soon be torn apart by the shadows. Trust me, Yugi; I would have wished for him to simply make a sacrifice. But he didn't want to disappoint you.”

Yugi looked away for a moment, his eyes darting back and forth as his mind scrambled to get an idea. “That sacrifice you're talking about. What happens to their souls?”

“Nothing other than moving onto the other side. ” He snorted. “Isn't it such a strange thought? He would rather be torn apart by the denizens of the Underworld than have you feel even the slightest bit of anger at him for doing what he must to survive. You hold a strange amount of power over him, Yugi.”

Yugi looked down and considered this information. He knew this is what Yami wanted. He knew this was the entire reason for the other being's existence. He knew it and, in a strange way, he understood it. It's what needed to be done.

But now? Yugi had a chance to fix it. And he would take it. He nodded and looked back at Yami. “Then I'm here to challenge you for the return of Atem. If I win, Atem and I get to leave here freely.”

Yami regarded Yugi carefully for a moment. He studied his face as if looking for a trick. “And if you lose?”

His grip tightened just ever so slightly. “Then I'll act as Atem's sacrifice and he can go free.”

Yami looked at Yugi for a moment longer. “You would do that... for him.”

There was no hesitation in Yugi's nod. “I know so long as you're here, there's still hope for Atem's soul. More than anything, I just want him to be safe and...exist.” He sucked in a shaky breath. “I won't be able to live my life without at least knowing he's okay.”

Yami stood by silently. His expression stayed blank as his eyes darted back and forth between Yugi's.

The duel king swallowed thickly when he didn't receive an answer. “Please, Yami. If there's any mercy inside you just please let me do what I can to save him. To save _you_.”

There was a twitch in the phantom's eye at the final statement. It was left unacknowledged by both of them. Instead, Yami smirked and his free hand moved up to pet Yugi's cheek. “Now how could I say no to that face?”

 


	22. The Void

 

He felt like he was falling as all the feeling returned and his soul was pieced back together. The darkness surrounding him made it hard for him to tell if his eyes were open or closed. It made it nearly impossible for him to truly tell anything about his current state. He wondered if he was truly falling or simply floating in this space.

That was until his back slammed hard against a surface he couldn't see. He cried out and rolled over with a groan as pain shot up from the back of his head and led down his spine to his tailbone. It didn't bode well for him knowing he could feel pain.

His eyes started to adjust in time to feel something grab onto his arm and try to force him through the floor.

He jumped to his feet and forced his arm away. The feeling of more hands grabbing him then came from his legs. He forced himself free, kicking at the grabbing hands as he did so. He looked down at himself to assess for any damage and it was then he noticed what he was wearing. His body was covered in gold cuffs and rings. All of his modern clothing was replaced with an old tunic and a long dark cape. He felt his head knowing the golden eyed crown was sitting there before his fingers even grazed it.

Somehow, Atem felt more panicked with the knowledge he was in his pharaoh garb. It felt as if he were dressed to be a sacrificial lamb. And maybe that was exactly what he was.

More groping hands reminded him to keep moving if he had any hope of surviving this. Although, why would he bother with such hope? He lost and this was to be his fate. He would be torn to bits and no one would hear his screams of agony as it happened.

Still, his legs kept him moving. He didn't know where he was going. He didn't know if he was truly going anywhere. He just knew moving was the only way to keep from being dragged into the void by those hands.

Slowly, the ground began to feel more solid. He slowed his walk a little to find there was nothing trying to drag him down. Atem looked around; there was no telling if he was truly safe or not.

Odds were he wasn't. There was nothing safe here.

Atem jumped when something flew by his face. He looked around to find ghostly faces looking at him with terrified or sorrowful expressions.

 _“The Nameless Pharaoh.”_ Voices around him whispered. _“What's he doing?”_

“ _Why is he here?”_

_“He must've done something wrong.”_

_“Is he broken?”_

_“Maybe he's broken.”_

_“This is a false god.”_

_“False god.”_

_“Useless. Useless. Useless.”_

They spoke all around him, whisper after whisper. He followed after a few of the spirits and heard someone giggle.

_“He's following us.”_

_“Idiot. Why would he come with us?”_

_“Did he lose hope for himself?”_

_“His life is lost.”_

_“He's out of hope. Just like the other one.”_

_“Just like the other one.”_

Atem frowned. “The other one?” He looked at the spirits closest to him, hoping for a response.

They gave him nothing. Just giggles and whispers so low he couldn't make out what they were saying.

He kept following them.

 

-

 

“We'll play the same game as Atem. I believe you'll find the concept comfortably familiar.” Yami laid out random items on the ground between them. Hundreds of pieces just laid on the floor between them.

Yugi frowned. He knew this couldn't be something simple.

“Each item in this room will summon a being from our friends in the realm beyond this one, the same realm in which the one you seek is trapped. Just like in duel monsters, those beings will have the ability to fight each other or attack your opponent.” Yami smirked. “Unlike Duel Monsters, the monster you summon could turn around and inflict harm on its summoner. So take care when making your choice.”

Yugi looked at all the items on the floor and contemplated.

Yami continued his explanation of the game. “With each strike, you will lose strength within your soul. We continue the game until one of us can't keep our soul in this world. Do you understand and accept these conditions?”

The game was very clear. It was a duel similar to one he's done long before only this time, he was his own sacrifice. Atem was not there to see him in pain. And, at the same time, Atem wasn't there to be in pain with him. This would be the only way to get him back. He didn't want to find out what would happen if he claimed he didn't accept the conditions.

Yugi nodded.

Yami grinned at him in response. “Then let's begin. As this is your first time with this particular game, I will go first.” The phantom stepped forward and regarded all the pieces with a calculated stare.

In every movement, Yugi could see just a pale version of Atem. He studied his choices as if this move would determine the outcome of the entire duel. As if this piece could cause him to win or lose right off the bat. And maybe it would; he wouldn't be able to tell until this duel was truly finished.

But the similarities chipped away at Yugi's heart just a little. No matter how dark this being, he was still some little piece of Atem. Hopefully that wouldn't make this duel any harder than it already was.

Yami knelt down and touched a small jar. It looked as if the shadows came from his fingers like smoke and, suddenly, there was a large shadowy form towering over them both. Yugi couldn't see its eyes but felt the power of a glare, like a wild animal waiting for its opportunity to attack.

Yami crossed his arms and regarded Yugi with a smile. “Choose well. Partner.”

Yugi could feel his skin crawl at the use of Atem's name for him coming from Yami. Even if they were the same person in so many ways, the way he said it somehow felt wrong. It was cold.

He tried not to let it get to him as he looked among the items on the floor. It was a strange mix of things that shimmered and things that didn't. While his eyes caught sight of every piece of gold on the ground, there was also something screaming in the back of his mind to lean more towards the cloths and the items that looked far from valuable.

But Yugi wasn't too sure exactly how this game worked just yet. With Duel Monsters, he had a hand of creatures he could summon and that could be strategized for moves ahead. This game seemed heavily luck based. The item in front of him told him nothing about what kind of being would appear.

Unless there was something to it that he simply wasn't seeing quite yet.

His eyes landed on a broken stone tablet positioned only a few steps to his left. When he touched it, a lanky humanoid creature with a jackal head came forth.

Immediately, the two beings attacked one another until Yami's towering monster took his down.

The glare returned to Yugi as soon as the screams of pain stopped. It turned, a growl rumbling in its throat that felt as if it would shake the room. It stalked closer and prepared to pounce on Yugi.

And pounce it did. Without anything to defend the game king, the creature's long sharp claws slashed into Yugi's shoulder and caused him to yell out in pain. No blood came from the wound but there was a burning sensation as the claw marks took away flesh and bone to leave behind nothing.

Yugi didn't look down at the wound for fear of what he might see now that the pain was gone. He covered it with his other hand, his fingers moving through the indents and into nothing.

The creature looked as though it might attack again.

“The turn has ended, Beast. Return to your position.” Yami looked at it coolly.

The Beast turned and snarled at Yami but did as it was ordered.

Yami looked at Yugi. “It would seem I was lucky this turn. Or maybe you should be a little more careful with your choice.” With that Yami moved again to look at the items and debate on his choices.

Yugi watched him carefully as he tried to piece together the best strategy.

 

-

 

_“He's still with us.”_

_“He can't possibly think we'd help him. After all his family has done to us?”_

_“All they've done.”_

_“The blood is on his hands.”_

_“Why does he keep following?”_

_“The other one won't like this.”_

_“The other one will have no choice.”_

_“He is trapped. They are both trapped.”_

Atem looked around at the spirits again. None of them paused to talk directly to him and even when he asked a question, it was left ignored. The most he could hope for was a giggle as a way of acknowledging he spoke to them.

He just followed their voices. It was all he could think to do.

_“They have always been trapped.”_

_“No escape for the Pharaoh.”_

_“No escape for the Peasant.”_

_“Poor children.”_

Atem felt himself stumble. The ground went from being a smooth, glass like surface to a little more bumpy. It was as if the ground were made of dirt now, where roots weaved through just below the surface.

He heard something laugh and he couldn't be sure if it was at his expense or not.

He felt as if the world began to shape itself into something a little more like the Earth. Atem felt as if he were walking up a small incline as the voices continued to lead him.

_“He will be trapped here. With us. With them.”_

_“They don't like guests. This will anger them.”_

A giggle. Then a far away sounding cackle.

“Who's 'they'?” Atem looked around. He knew the spirits wouldn't answer him but he wanted to know where he was going and what to expect when he finally got there.

For the first time, they acknowledged that he spoke.

_“The Pharaoh asks. The Peasant demanded.”_

_“Strange.”_

_“It doesn't matter. Both will meet the same fate.”_

_“Both will fade away.”_

_“They are the same. They will always be the same.”_

The incline evened out and Atem was met with the sensation of standing at the top of a hill. Even though he could see nothing more than the spirits he was following, something told him he was standing high.

But something also told him it was not where he wanted to be.

A growl came from directly over his shoulder.

He moved away as quickly as possible. He turned to look at the creature to only see teeth and claws. It snapped the teeth at Atem, claws swiping at his torso in attempt to tear him to shreds.

Atem was without a weapon or any means to protect himself. He only had one choice.

_“He must run.”_

He did so. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He kept his eyes straight ahead and tried to ignore the sound of something snarling and bounding after him.

He didn't know how long he would be able to run from the animal. Eventually, he would tire out and he could only hope it would give up before that.

But then his foot stepped on uneven ground and his body followed suit as he fell and tumbled down the other side of the hill he'd been on.

He could hear the growling from the top of the incline but it didn't follow him down. Rather, the creature let out a few sounds that were similar to whines before the sound of retreating steps put Atem at ease.

The spirits surrounding him spoke in jumbles now. There were too many voices for him to make out even a single utter. He did hear laughter. He could also hear the sounds of sorrow. Screams and sobs that made him feel a little sick as he imagined what they must've been through to be able to make such a noise.

He walked away from the hill and toward the deafening sounds.

It didn't take him long. It appeared as if it were coming out of a fog. As if it were there simply waiting to be found, a large form stood like a melting statue. It was like a giant demon, a familiar form, with a gaping, jagged maw. Its eyes were open, unseeing. Parts of it dripped and fell to the ground.

But that was not what caught Atem's focus.

In the center of its chest was a man. Tanned skin was pierced by parts of the monster, a few showing signs of retreat around his heart. His arms and legs were still completely consumed by the inky black beast. A red robe hung open, partially torn by the parts that pierced him. The man didn't look to be conscious. His head hung limply, his light gray hair cascading over his closed eyes.

Atem stared up at him, frozen by the very sight of the man he never thought he'd see again. What should he do? What could he do?

Was he meant to do anything?

 

-

 

It took Yugi three moves to take down the beast Yami had summoned. When he finally did, the phantom gave him a patient and proud smile. It made something in him flashback to long ago, the ceremonial duel. That was the same smile Atem gave him. Before he walked through that door.

Before they were separated for what should have been forever.

Before....

What if he never came back? What if this duel ended and Atem was somehow already torn apart in whatever hellhole he was wandering? Would Yugi ever be able to forgive himself for it?

Yami tilted his head. “You're crying. Why?”

Yugi sucked in a deep breath and wiped at his eyes with his sleeve. “It doesn't matter.”

Yami just stared for a moment. He currently stood, completely exposed to any attack. After taking down the beast, Yugi's little shadowy puffball took a hard swipe at the phantom's cheek before returning to Yugi's side without so much as a huff from its summoner.

Yugi himself only lost a little bit more of his form. He learned quickly this game had one element Duel Monsters lacked; the ability to dodge. He had rolled out of the way from one of the beast's attacks but didn't count on an attack from his own creature once it came to.

Yami found he didn't like the creature's attack on Yugi and took it out himself only a few seconds later. He pretended he understood why he was so protective.

His smile faded at Yugi's tears. “He loves you. But I don't really need to tell you that, do I?”

Yugi chuckled and sniffled a little before looking up again. “No. What you need to stop doing is pretending he's not _you_.”

Yami blinked, too confused to find anything to say.

“It's your move. Other Me.”

And just like that, something in Yami was struck harder than he could ever fathom. His thoughts were filled with memories but, more importantly, emotions. So many emotions. Longing, Fear, Sorrow, Rage. And one he could not quite place. Something similar to the obsession he felt earlier on, back in that alley.

But he couldn't afford to worry about that now. He had to focus. He had to figure out his next move very carefully.

While he did so, the words _Other Me_ echoed in his head. They wouldn't go away.

Yugi watched Yami hesitate near a ripped cape. He reached out as if he were to choose it but then pulled back. He stared at it for a long time.

Then he turned away. And quickly chose.

Only to have the creature come forth and attack him before he could even see what he summoned.

Yugi winced when he saw it and took a step forward. He wanted to help. He didn't like seeing such looks of pain on Yami. But he knew there was no stopping it. Not if he wanted to bring Atem home with him.

He swallowed the urge to help the phantom. Instead, he moved around to pick his own and refused to look as Yami held his arm and fell to his knees as the creature faded away.

“I'm sorry, Yami.”

Yami didn't look up. He just let out a soft laugh. “Don't be. We've only just begun. Apologies will get very old very fast.”

Yugi looked at him grimly. He knew the phantom was right, of course, but it was difficult for him to fight that instinct to care. He didn't want to hurt Yami. He just wanted everything to work out for the best where all of them were at peace.

He wouldn't stop believing that was a possibility.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (A New Challenger Has Appeared!!)  
> Also, this was partially inspired by Hellblade. That's one trip of a game, lemme tell you.


	23. Dealings of Monsters

 

_“What will he do?”_

_“Kill him. Make him fade. He is nothing more than a grave mistake. A missed target.”_

_“Free him from this torture. He is but a child, regardless of his hatred.”_

_“Kill. Save. Kill. Save. Kill save kill save.”_

_“What will he do?”_

Atem tried to ignore the voices as he took a tentative step forward. All of them said different things and nothing was helpful in the least bit. He would have to decide for himself how to handle this.

He climbed the statue. He could feel it give a little as he gripped it but it still held well enough for him to get up to the chest. The slight give gave Atem a little bit of hope.

Breaking the other free wouldn't be such a monumental task.

He looked at the spots where the arms were engulfed. It seemed like a proper place to start. Atem found his balance and gripped the piece consuming the prisoner's left arm. It felt like an eternity before he could see the wrist.

Then the other's eyes snapped open and looked at the pharaoh. The closeness of another person made the thief react. He did so by ripping his arm free and finding a grip on Atem's neck.

Atem's mouth opened in a gasp as he was suddenly hanging from Bakura's arm.

The thief stared at him with wide, surprised eyes before they narrowed into a glare. “Didn't you torture me enough back in the mortal world?!”

Atem's hands clawed into Bakura's wrists. He hadn't even realized he needed air in this realm until there was a hand crushing his windpipe.

Bakura studied him for a moment as the voices whispered around them. Atem couldn't make out all of them but he did hear them mention 'life.' The thief king looked to them with each addition they had.

Soon, he had all the pieces. Or at least enough of them to figure out what was going on. When he did, he looked at Atem with a high level of understanding.

He laughed. “You idiot!” The hand let go.

Atem sucked in a breath only to let it out again in the form of a yelp as he hit the ground at the base of the melting statue.

“You were thinking with your dick, weren't you?” Bakura smirked. “At least I can be torn apart knowing you're here too for a much dumber reason.”

“I don't plan on being torn apart.”

“Do you think this realm gives a shit what _you_ plan?” He looked around. “You're trapped. There's nothing else.”

Atem climbed to his feet and looked up at Bakura. “Have you tried?”

Bakura glared at him. “I've been stuck here since our last meeting. How could I try anything?”

“So you don't know if I'm trapped.” Atem smiled at him. “For all you know, there's a door behind you that leads right home.”

Bakura eyed Atem for a moment. “Why were you trying to free me?”

The smile fell. He looked away from the thief. “I must admit, I don't really have any ideas for freedom yet. Some part of me hopes you would be able to help. I'm sure you wouldn't mind being able to move again.”

He scoffed. “Yeah, sure. But you think just giving me the ability to walk around is enough to make me help you?”

Atem stared up at Bakura in silence. The droning voices were beginning to die down with each statement between the two. He could barely see them moving around them now. “State your terms.”

Bakura smirked. “I want what you have.”

The pharaoh raised an eyebrow. “What do I have? I'm here; the same as you.”

“Don't play dumb now. You know what I mean.” The smirk widened into a smile. “The body. Another chance at life. All of it. Did you really believe I would be satisfied letting you walk out of here without getting something less than that in return?”

“I hadn't considered that as your request, no.” He crossed his arms. “But honestly, I'm not sure I want to spend the remainder of my life keeping you in line.”

“Then rot here with me. Either way, we'll be spending a lot of time together, My Liege.” Bakura gave him a mocking bow, his free hand pressed over his heart.

Atem narrowed his eyes and stared up at Bakura. He could feel something beginning to grip his feet and climb up his legs. He'd been still for far too long but this place made the grips from the void slower, somehow. The pharaoh found he wasn't so worried about being engulfed just yet.

Instead, he weighed his options. Freedom of this void would be nice and he was sure he could find it. The likelihood of that happening doubled with the thought of someone else desperate to leave. Even then it was slim at best. Going alone might be impossible.

But Bakura back in the mortal realm? He would risk being back to square one! Unless...

A thought of Kisara passed before Atem.

It was a gamble, he knew. But Atem was usually pretty lucky. He pulled his legs from the gripping void and returned to climbing the statue.

Bakura grinned mockingly as the pharaoh came up to him. “There's a good boy.”

Atem sneered and he started to pull the other arm free. “Don't make me regret this.”

A laugh came from the thief king.

 -

“I have so many of his memories, just as he had all of yours.” Yami stood up straight as another attack worked its way through him. He stared at Yugi as part of his leg faded off.

The game king stood tall as his dark soldier returned to his side. He stayed silent and just listened.

“I remember... the moment you solved that puzzle. With his memories being the void that they were, he immediately awoke and began absorbing all the information you could give. All your thoughts and memories, your entire being. The only thing that was his was the rage. A rage for such injustice invoked upon you. Upon him.” He smiled. “I believe that is one of my favorite memories. The awakening of a monster.”

“Not a monster, Yami. Just a lost soul. And I would have given him all of it if it meant he would feel even a little less lost in the world.” Yugi frowned and tilted his head. “But what does this have to do with anything? Why bring it up now?”

Yami's smile faded. “Because... It's happened before. Who's to say it's not happening again?” He paced around the items and walked in a little to look around at the pieces toward the middle. “You claim that I am just avoiding the subject of me and him being one in the same but have you stopped to consider that I am just another monster who clung to a fool?”

Yugi's eyes narrowed. “I refuse to believe that.”

“Why? Do you think what happened on that cliff is enough to support otherwise? Do you sincerely believe it would be different had Ryo tried that with Bakura? Or, dare I say, you with Atem?” He chuckled and knelt down. “your belief in me is admirable, Little Light, but it's also foolish.” He pressed his hand against a small charm on the floor. The piece summoned nothing that Yugi could see.

But his soldier was shattered almost immediately and he felt as if something in his breastplate had cracked. Yugi held his chest and stumbled back. It hurt; his chest felt as if the skin were the other thing holding his heart from bursting forward and out of him. But still, nothing came forth.

Yugi was simply left in the pain. A pain that threatened to tear him apart.

“I've told you before; you have no place among monsters.”

 -

It felt as if Atem spent an eternity attempting to free the tomb raider. But eventually, he pulled free the last limb. And, as if it were Bakura holding the structure together, the statue collapsed and caused the two of them to fall to the ground.

When they looked up, there was nothing but debris in place of the great melting statue. Bakura climbed to his feet and took an experimental step forward. He looked at his hands and flexed the muscles. He stood up straighter.

And he laughed.

Atem climbed to his feet as well and allowed his new companion a moment to experience the relief of his freedom. In that time, he looked around.

He wished he could say he was surprised when he felt a hand grab hold of his scalp and toss him into the debris like a ragdoll.

“You know how long I've waited to cause you harm? To tear that smug face of yours to ribbons?” He pulled something from behind his back. The sharp metal was clear. “And you created such a beautiful opportunity for it.”

Atem pushed himself up with a grunt. He watched wordlessly as Bakura stepped closer and loomed over him. He flipped the dagger in his hand and threw it down toward the pharaoh.

Atem's eyes squeezed shut as the blade flew towards him only to fly straight passed and cut off part of his hair in the process. Instead, something from the ground let out a pained howl. He looked to see a face coming out of the ground. The dagger pierced the being's eye and it screamed.

Atem jumped when he felt Bakura move closer. He knelt over the pharaoh and gripped the hilt of his blade. “But killing you here wouldn't be nearly as satisfying as torturing you throughout the remainder of your poor, pathetic life.” He twisted the blade in the poor creature and pulled it back out. He then stood back up and smirked down at Atem.

Then he offered the pharaoh his hand.

What has he gotten himself into now? He would be down one homicidal maniac to potentially gain another. Atem stared for a moment. With a bit of hesitation, he reached up and grabbed the hand.

Bakura pulled him up to his feet. The dagger twitched in his hand. It took quite a bit of willpower to keep from turning that blade on the pharaoh repeatedly.

Atem clearly felt the aggression. He ripped his hand away from Bakura and took two large steps away from the other.

Bakura smirked. “You're not as big of an idiot as I thought.”

Atem looked around grimly. “We should move. It's only a matter of time before something tries to take us down.” He took a tense few steps, unsure of where to head. Everything looked the same and there was no sign of an exit.

Bakura's smirk stayed firmly in place as he followed after Atem. He reluctantly returned the dagger to its place and made a mental note to find out later if the pharaoh had the ability to bleed into this void. Right now, there were a few things more important than that.

Neither noticed the large, lumbering creature with red eyes that came from the floor. It continued to go unnoticed when a much smaller creature grabbed hold and pulled it back down despite its terrified protest.

Nothing else appeared to follow them after that.

 -

The pain continued as Yugi summoned a new beast. He held his chest and huffed softly, each exhale allowing out a thin inky black smoke. The smoke grew larger and stayed in the space between him and Yami. Yugi opened his mouth to give the order to attack Yami and his monsters, but it never got out as he slapped a hand over his mouth to keep move of this strange smoke from escaping. It only made his chest hurt more.

Yami just watched with a concerned look he tried very hard to cover. “Don't hold it back, Yugi. It will only hurt you more in the long run.”

Yugi looked at him. The pain was making his eyes tear. “What... did you do to me?” It hurt.

“This is a shadow game. The purpose of all shadow games is to expose the darkness on one's heart.” He stared at Yugi. “And, while you may be made of so much more good, even you aren't an exception to this.”

He clenched his jaw shut and the pain increased again.

“I imagine if anyone else were in your position, the room would already be consumed by the shadows because they wouldn't be able to hold it back. It may just need a little more persuasion.”

“You... p-poisoned me?”

“More like I'm removing the toxins for self-gain but I guess it could be considered being poisoned.” He sighed. “Either way, this process needs to be sped up a little. Otherwise, it'll feel like torture.”

Yugi glared at him then looked at his monster. “Attack Y-Yami.”

The creature obliged. It rushed forward and sliced into the phantom. Yami didn't even attempt to avoid it as a line appeared from his left shoulder to his right hip.

The attack only caused Yami to take a step back. He still looked at Yugi with concern. “The pain will end quicker if you release the summoned completely.”

The smoke continued to gather around Yugi as it found its way out from between his teeth and his nose. He felt as if his heart were struggling to force it out. But he didn't want to find out what kind of beast would come forth from him.

He covered his mouth again.

Yami frowned. “Alright. It would seem you're going to be difficult on this one.” He barely paid mind to the creature he summoned. He just stared at Yugi without giving it an order.

Yugi shook and collapsed to his knees. He couldn't hold it back much longer.

As if it were prying his jaw open itself, the shadow burst forward from him and loomed over in a barely formed mass. It had a head with two glowing yellow eyes and not much else. The smoke creature moved to Yami's side.

Yugi shook and coughed as he stared it down.

Yami seemed unimpressed.

- 

Atem felt a strange, foreign pull from his heart as the two of them walked on. They had no direction. There was no telling if they were heading back or to a new destination.

He turned to his companion. “Do you remember anything about how you got here?”

Bakura paused and looked up as he thought about it. “Falling. Then, I hit the ground and something worked really hard on tearing me apart.” He shrugged. “Then I fell asleep for a while and woke up to a rat.” He eyed the pharaoh with a smirk.

Atem looked at him flatly before he looked up as well. “I was falling too.”

Bakura snorted. “Well, if that isn't telling, I don't know what is.” He tilted his head. “So, do we get a giant latter or should one of us learn how to fly?”

“To fall, we would have to be in something.” He looked around. “There would have to be walls.” He chose a direction and walked.

“An interesting conclusion. But what if this isn't just some hole we've been dropped in?” Bakura called after him. “What if it's more like a planet, where there _are_ no walls?”

“We can think about how to handle that as we look for a way to climb up.” He wasn't about to let this idea go so easily.

Bakura stood by for a few more seconds as he glared at Atem's back. He didn't like this in the least bit but there was something strange about his feelings towards the pharaoh now.

Rage was still a dominant emotion. But there was something missing. He couldn't quite place it. Was it hate? Did he no longer hate Atem?

Atem turned and looked at him with his stupid face like he was going to ask a stupid question.

Nope; hate was still firmly in place.

Ah, well. He would figure it out. He pulled out his dagger again and threw it down at the hand grabbing his ankle. He pulled it back out as the being screamed.

Atem winced at the sound as Bakura walked up to him. “You won't be grabbed if you keep moving.”

“Your voice annoys me.”

Atem snorted. “Good to know.”

They walked in silence for a while. Both kept in a straight line as the tense silence grew between them. The air felt thick with it.

Atem looked over at Bakura. For a moment, he just eyed the other.

Bakura didn't look back. He just growled. “What?”

“Should we discuss the obvious problem between us?”

“I don't have a problem. I'm perfectly content hating you and everything you stand for.”

He looked back in the direction they were walking. “I don't stand for the same things as I did the last we met.”

“How nice for you.”

He gave Bakura a side-eyed glance. “I'm not going to ask you to let go and forgive. But maybe you can find something more productive to do with your second life other than revenge.”

He sneered. “I don't even have a body and you're already telling me how to live my life. Are you trying to replace the father your family slaughtered?”

“Why? Do you think that would help?”

The thief king stopped walking and glared at him. “You better be joking. If not, I'll be taking that tongue out of your mouth.”

Atem blinked and looked at him for a moment as the dagger reappeared. He fought the urge to make another joke just out of the old spite for the tomb robber. Instead, he took another approach. “I can't replace anyone you lost and I never want you to think I will. But... I think it would help us both if we find a way for all of this to be settled.”

Bakura raised an eyebrow.

“You've been in a lot of pain. More than anyone will ever be able to comprehend. All I ask is you let me help you get through it.”

The eyebrow fell again. “What if I don't want to get through it?” His glare became darker. “What if my way of letting you help me is tearing you apart while your little sex toy watches?”

A tremor of rage rose in Atem.

“Would you help me then, your highness? Or would you put me back in the ground?” Bakura shook his head and looked away. “You know, maybe I would rather us both rot down here. I could have the benefit of destroying you without having to go through the motions of helping you out.”

“If it's any help, Marik is outside my tomb, waiting for the results.”

Bakura looked back at Atem but said nothing.

“I imagine Ryo also came along with ...Yugi.” His voice softened at the name and he looked down.

Yugi.

He saw him just before he faded here.

Was Yami still there? Or was Yugi pushed out of the soul room and now in his tomb without him there?

Maybe they wouldn't even be there by the time they found their way out. But that just meant they would have to move faster to make sure they were there.

Either way, Atem knew there was at least one thing he and Bakura had in common. Somewhere, in all that rage and hatred, there was a soft spot for his former vessel and the partner he made in his travels.

With a quick look at his face, Atem knew he wasn't wrong.

Bakura tried to cover it with a glare.

Atem saw right through it and smiled. “There's no doubt in my mind they wish to see you again.”

Bakura looked away again and tried to swallow that thought. It was quite a long moment of silence where the gripping hands began again on both of them. Atem could see them at Bakura's ankles and feel them on his own.

But he didn't dare move and break the train of thought that had come over the thief.

He only stood a little tenser as the feeling moved up his knees and fingernails dug into his lower thighs. Even then, Bakura didn't seem concerned. He simply nodded and turned back. “Then we should let them, shouldn't we?” He hacked away at the arms and hands before doing the same for Atem.

Atem grinned at him. “Right.”

 


	24. Demons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this chapter early because it's my birthday and I feel like it.

Walking forward in a void of black made it nearly impossible to tell if they were truly walking forward or somehow heading in a circle. But with Bakura's newfound determination, the two were able to find their way through different areas.

They couldn't so much see where they were as much as they felt it. As the ground became steeper or softer. As noises appeared and disappeared. As smells of rot were replaced with dust which was then replaced with Earth.

What they could see were beasts. Beings with eyes all over their bodies. Creatures that walked on a body with too many limbs. Things that transformed with the same effect as ripples in the water. All of them malicious.

All of them angry at the intruders.

And all of them dead.

Bakura kicked a body as something akin to blood dripped from his blade. “This one was pretty big. I imagine we're heading into something important.”

Atem looked around as if he would finally see something to tell them where they are. “And something dangerous.”

Bakura laughed. “Right. Dangerous. Let them come, I've enough-” The thief king froze and stared with wide, frightened eyes.

Atem frowned and followed his gaze only to see nothing. He looked back. “Bakura?”

Bakura stumbled forward. “M-Mama?” The tone was lost, scared. Childish.

A voice spoke that only Bakura could hear and came from a woman only Bakura could see. “You must run and hide, child! It's not safe.” The woman turned back to the sounds of a slaughter outside.

Tears formed in Bakura's eyes. “But-”

“Shh shh. You will be fine.” She placed her hands on his shoulders. She felt so real; so warm. “Be strong. Be safe.”

Atem could only watch as Bakura collapsed to his knees and cried out. He moved to run closer. “Bakura!”

“It's no use, Other Me.”

Atem felt his insides churn as he looked over his shoulder. He looked at the newcomer and shook his head. “No.”

“He's stuck where he is right now. He has to save himself from this.”

Atem backed up as the form moved closer. “I'm seeing things...”

His words were ignored. “It's a trial for him so, in the meantime, you and I can have a little talk.” Yugi smiled that sweet smile of his.

Atem shook his head. “You're not real.”

Yugi's smile didn't fade. He just laughed and shook his head. “I think I'm pretty real, Atem.” He reached up and touched Atem's cheek. He was so warm. “I've come to take you home.” He pressed his forehead against Atem's. “Don't you want to come home with me?”

“I do.” He closed his eyes. He wanted that more than anything. But.. “I want to go home... with the real you.”

The smile morphed into a surprised look. Yugi pulled back and stared up at Atem. His eyes grew wider and his clothing morphed into a well-worn school uniform with a black shirt. His face lost a bit of definition and, when he spoke, it was at a slightly higher pitch. “The real me? This me?”

Atem backed up a few more steps until his back hit something tall and solid. He felt around for an edge only to find more of it.

He really didn't want to be right about the wall right now.

“Here I can be any version of me you would want.” Yugi's eyes lit up as he returned to his older form again. “We could start over completely from when we first met.” He placed his hands on Atem's hips. “Do you remember?” He laughed softly. “I was so shy and insecure back then. I looked up at you and I saw everything I could ever want.”

“Yugi...” It sounded just like him. Maybe Yugi was here. Maybe he somehow got sucked into the void when Atem was banished. Maybe, with whatever strength he had left, Yami pushed him in here. Tears pooled in his eyes. “Yugi...”

Yugi smiled and moved forward. He kissed the other gently and coaxed him into a much more relaxed state.

Atem felt it instantly. It was almost as if his energy were fading. 

-

Yugi sucked in a few gulps of air. He still hadn't completely recovered from the being that came from him. But, even when it moved to Yami's side, it did nothing but float there and watch.

Yami paid no attention to it and, instead, sent forward another one of his beasts. It hit Yugi's head on but the game king's fought back and refused to go down so easily.

Eventually, they both caved, leaving only the ghostly copy on the makeshift field.

Yugi then turned his attention to the copy. “Is that thing going to make a move or just float there?”

Yami smiled. “In its current state, the creature isn't too fond of violence. But I'm sure you already know all about that.” The phantom looked at it. “If I had to guess, it's most likely studying everything to figure out a proper move. We'll know when it's ready to attack.”

Yugi looked at both it and his opponent seriously before he stepped forward to choose a new creature. He tapped on a small vase and watched as something dark came forth.

Only to then see nothing but smoke as the copy glared at it, the third eye glowing.

Yugi's eyes shot open wide as his beast turned to nothing before he could see what it was.

Yami just smirked. “I guess it was ready to attack. It just needed a proper enemy.” He crossed his arms. “Let's see if it'll let you summon something else.”

-

The kiss felt like everything Atem needed. It was calm and coaxing with gentle prodding rather than a force of dominance.

It was Yugi.

A memory flashed before his eyes. Yugi sitting on his bed in Duelist Kingdom. He smiled, eyes glowing with the knowledge of a secret he figured out.

The kiss continued. Arms secured themselves around Atem's waist.

Memories continued to flash before him. Yugi laughing in delight during their first night together in years. The tired smile before he leaned in for one last peck before he headed off for the day. The concerned eyes when Atem told him about Yami. The relief that followed his words “you're still here.”

“Atem..” Their lips separated and Yugi smiled softly at him.

The name echoed in the air. The gap was closed once again as his name was repeated over and over by a Yugi he couldn't see. One that was becoming increasingly desperate to make him hear his call.

Until the name was screamed from a voice scratchy from overuse. A panicked cry from a different time. _“Atem!”_

The pharaoh found his strength again and pushed Yugi away. He swallowed thickly and gripped him by the arms. “I'm sorry. But I know you're not him.”

Yugi stared at Atem, wide youthful eyes staring dead into his.

Then, there was a loud crack as part of Yugi's face split and revealed an inky black ooze behind it.

The Yugi screamed at an inhuman pitch.

Atem screamed despite himself. He shoved the creature away and ran back to Bakura to find the thief king still on his knees, with tears running down his face and dripping onto the ground. He mumbled words so softly, Atem could barely tell he was truly speaking.

“Bakura!” He shook the other. _“Bakura!_ Snap out of it! It isn't real! We have to go!”

It didn't work.

From behind, two hands wrapped around Atem's eyes and mouth. A body pressed against his and a voice- _his_ voice- spoke right into his ear. Cold air hit it with every word. “It's time to stop fighting, Your Highness. Do the one thing you can do right.”

Atem wanted to fight him off. He wanted to shove the phantom away and get out of this hole. But...

Something wasn't letting him.

The hands on Bakura slackened and fell. They hung limply at his sides as Atem's body stopped responding to his brain. He was paralyzed.

He could hear a smirk in Yami's voice. “There's a good boy.”

-

It took the floating shadow creature a while to fully awaken. But when it did, it was a dangerous foe. Every beast pulled forth was taken down immediately. A few times Yugi was standing too close and ended up getting attacked as well.

The being twitched each time it hit Yugi.

Yami stayed solid and just watched each of the attacks. He honestly didn't like this. Knowing that if Yugi lost, he would die was not on his list of favorite things. He could only assume that was close to how Yugi felt when he beat Atem.

Each time it was his turn, Yami would hesitate before looking up at his creature and skipping his turn. He had an unfair advantage already. With that, he was already feeling wrong.

Yugi didn't deserve this.

The creature curled slightly and closed two out of three of its eyes. It was moving much more than it did when it was first brought out of the other. It took a little longer to completely summon than the others.

Across the field, Yugi huffed softly and frowned at the being. He had to figure out a way to take it down. He couldn't make any sense out of it. He knew he would have to attack it to take it down and he should be looking for a way to do just that. But there was something inside him that refused to let him believe that was the proper way. Some part of him didn't want to harm the creature.

But he couldn't figure out why.

Yugi knew he would have to find a proper defense before anything. Whatever hesitation sat in Yami wouldn't hold forever. He had to believe he could figure this out. He needed a being that could hold its own under the actions of the creature.

A glint from the floor caught his eye. Without any hesitation, Yugi reached out and touched a worn dagger.

 -

The screams and cries for help were almost worse than the sounds of a blade on skin and bone. Bakura wanted to find a way to fight them off; to save his home! He wasn't a child anymore. He could save them like he always wished!

When he rushed forward to do so, it was nothing but bodies and spirits. The souls floated and shoved themselves through him.

_“Avenge us.”_

_“Kill them all.”_

_“They left us to die and you did nothing by watch?!”_

_“Kill the people responsible.”_

_“This is your fate, Bakura. This shall be your burden. Forever.”_

_“Kill the pharaoh. Kill the family. Destroy that throne.”_

_“The False God must be stopped.”_

_“Stop him.”_

The voices continued to scream into his mind and repeated themselves. Bakura gripped his head and attempted to stumble away from them. “Shut up...”

_“All of them deserve to die. We will kill them.”_

“Shut up.” He backed into a wall.

 _“Kill them!”_ They morphed into a copy of him. A pale him with a grin unnaturally wide.

“Shut _UP_!” He slid down the wall and continued to grip his head as he sat there.

The voices stopped. They were replaced by another.

“Bakura.”

His head snapped up. There, among all of the darkness and horror, stood Ryo.

He didn't move closer. Instead, he just looked at Bakura with a sad smile. “I see you're still stuck.”

Bakura pushed himself back up to his feet and stared at the pale boy. “Why? How?” He took a step forward.

And was nearly knocked back again as Ryo rushed forward and wrapped his arms around the thief.

Bakura just stared straight ahead. He couldn't make heads or tails of anything he was feeling. His mind was a giant jumbled mess of anger and pain. Fear and hatred. But there was a small warmth in him that came from the contact with Ryo. He didn't dare return the affection but he wasn't about to push away his former host either.

Everything was beginning to come back to him. Still, he stared ahead. “You aren't really here right now.”

Ryo looked up at him. The other shook his head. “No.”

“But that doesn't mean what we have to say isn't important.” Marik stepped into Bakura's field of view with a smirk. “Even if it's coming from people who aren't here.”

Bakura smirked right back. “You know, if you told me you were real, I wouldn't think about it twice.”

“Fair.” Marik shrugged before a smile took over. “We did some crazy things together.”

Bakura snorted as Ryo let go and stepped back. “Alright, I'll bite. Why am I seeing you two in here?”

Ryo's smile faded. “We want you to come back. But to do so, there will be things you have to do.”

Marik nodded. “Trials you'll have to face.”

“And a being you'll have to let go.”

Bakura looked between the two of them. When he processed everything, he rolled his eyes. “Well, no shit.”

Ryo tilted his head. “So, you're willing to leave it here? That burden is too much for any mortal man.”

Bakura nodded. “Yeah, I remember pretty well.” All the souls of Kul Elna... Their rage just continued to fuel him and bounced off his own.

Without that, who was he?

Marik smiled at him. “It'll be nice to see you on a level where neither of us are trying to kill a bunch of people. If the pharaoh could get through, no doubt it would be easy for you.”

“But right now, let's focus on getting you out of _this_.” Ryo gestured to the rest of the void.

Bakura smiled and nodded again. “I'll see you two soon.”

Both faded without much of a struggle. When Bakura was returned to a clear mind, he found it quiet. And he found himself alone. There were no leftover spirits and no pharaoh to tell him where to go.

He touched the wall he slammed himself against before and sighed heavily. “You better not be climbing without me, Pharaoh!”

He paused at the sound of something behind him. In the shadows, he could see the wild hair and the short stature.

Bakura sneered. “I was wondering when you would make an appearance.” He turned to face the other. “Here to tell me to forgive or something?”

Yugi stepped forward. For a moment, he didn't say anything. He just looked around before he turned back to Bakura. “No. I'm here to gain assistance. And to offer you a quick way up.” He held a hand out for the thief.

Bakura snorted. “You're not down here looking for your toy?”

“No. Just you.” The hand stayed extended.

Bakura took it and found himself surrounded by a glow. For a moment, it blinded him. Then, he felt something.

He brought up his blade and smacked at the air. He hit something and sent it flying against a far wall. Suddenly, he could see walls. The walls of a tomb.

He stood, face to face with a pale version of the pharaoh.

He looked behind him to see Yugi. His summoner looked just as surprised to see him. “Bakura?” Yugi backed up.

It didn't take the thief king long to piece everything together. He could see the strange creature next to the pharaoh copy. He could see the copy eyeing him coldly.

He grinned darkly. “Oh, this will work out just fine.” He gripped the blade and rushed forward towards Yami.

The phantom didn't move. But his monster did. It turned its head and shot something in the direction of Bakura.

Bakura stopped short then glared at the being. “Alright. If you insist on going down first...” He lunged at the being.

Only to be slammed back down. He stood up again and tried for the second time.

Yami crossed his arms. “Always persistent.”

Bakura ignored him in favor of the ghostly figure. He was able to slam the knife into its arm. It cried out in pain and shoved Bakura away. Something dripped from the blade in Bakura's hand.

Yugi's eyes widened.

Blood.

No being in this game has bled. All of them evaporated like smoke. Not even him or Yami were bleeding from the attacks.

Bakura was knocked back and slid across the ground. It cut into his arm and caused a bit of skin to peel off. Red beads rose on his skin that went ignored as he jumped to his feet.

“That's _it_!” He snarled and glared at the creature. Then blinked in confusion as Yugi placed a hand on his arm.

“Aim for Yami for a minute. I'll summon something as a distraction.”

Bakura glared at Yugi but stopped when he noticed the eyes locked onto the monster. The monster who held a wounded arm as something dripped from it.

“Don't get used to me following orders, kid.” With that, Bakura sprinted towards Yami as Yugi touched another item.

As planned, the creature attacked the newcomer rather than Bakura. By the time it went to look for the tomb raider, it was too late.

Yami grunted in pain as Bakura sliced clean across his throat. As before, the phantom didn't bleed; the place around his neck only faded like all the other parts around him.

But the creature reacted with a flinch and a glare at Bakura.

Bakura caught its eyes and grinned at it. He spread his arms, daring the monster to attack. “What? Did I hurt your master?”

A deep rumble came from the monster. It moved to attack.

But stopped short as Yugi stepped in front of Bakura. It pulled back, its raised hand falling to the side.

“This... isn't your true form, is it?” Yugi took a step forward.

The beast held its ground.

“I'm not going to pretend I know what's going on in that head of yours. But it's okay to feel lost and scared.” He took another step. “It's okay to not know how to handle this.”

The beast shuttered. Two of the three eyes closed. When Yugi stepped again, it snapped its head back and shot something in his direction. Items turned and flew as a beam hit next to the game king. It caused a few pieces to hit the other in the side and strip away a bit more of his form.

Yugi didn't flinch. He just stepped forward.

“Do you remember the fire?”

The creature looked at him. Its chest heaved.

“I was so scared that if I didn't finish the puzzle, there would be no way to say how I felt. It was the first time I was really terrified of losing you.”

Yami stared at the back of Yugi's head. He looked up at his monster but did not find it looking back.

“When I woke up in the hospital, you were there. I thought you would yell at me and tell me what I did was stupid but... you didn't. You just told me you were happy I was safe.” He looked down with a soft laugh. “Even after all that, I couldn't tell you how I really felt. But this time? We're both different.”

The being floated down a little closer to eye level as Yugi looked back up.

“I can tell you how much I care about you. And... how much I want us to just be together. And I know, somewhere in there, is the Atem who wants that too.”

The creature's eyes widened.

“Atem. I'm here.” He reached up and placed a hand on the other's cheek. “I'm right here...”

The being leaned into the hand and closed its eyes. As all three closed, a crack appeared on the monster's forehead. Fire came out from the crack and caused more to appear.

The room was engulfed by the fire's light. When it disappeared, the pharaoh was in the place of the monster, his cape wrapped around him like a cacoon. It loosened as he fell to the ground.

Atem groaned and moved to sit on his knees. His eyes squinted and blinked as he tried to make out some of the blurs in front of him.

“Atem?” The voice sounded like it was underwater. Then, it came in clearer. “Atem.”

He blinked again and looked at the closest person. His partner. “Yugi.” He wrapped his arms around the game king and held him tight.

Yugi returned the affection immediately. “Good to have you back.”

“Hey. Hate to break up your little lovefest but we've still got a game to play.”

Both of them turn to Bakura. The thief king had his dagger only a centimeter away from Yami's left eye.

Their opponent didn't flinch. He only stared calmly down the top of the blade and into Bakura's eyes. “I see you're still pretty full of anger and pain.”

“In a few seconds, I'll make sure you know exactly how that feels.” He grinned widely. “I've waited so long to tear that smug face to ribbons.”

Yami still looked down the blade as he thought about this. “So, Atem. How many times do you plan on making blood pacts and deals before you finally give up?”

Atem climbed to his feet with a little help from Yugi. He smiled at his partner before turning a glare on his counterpart. The phantom spoke to him as if he had all the control in this situation but he hadn't once turned his head away from Bakura.

Atem stood up a little straighter. “It didn't have to be this way.”

“Yes, it did. Don't lie to yourself.”

Yugi frowned. “Why do you insist on that being a lie?”

Yami blinked.

“You did have a choice in all of this. You have a mind of your own.” Yugi stepped away from Atem and up next to Bakura.

All three in the room tensed as Yugi gently pushed the thief king's arm down and away from Yami. Yugi didn't seem the least bit worried. He just stared at Yami. “Your existence could be much more than this trial. You could be apart of Atem again. Maybe in time, you could even create a place just for you.”

Yami stared at him with a look of surprise. Then, his eyes softened. “Oh, Yugi.” He stepped forward and placed both hands on the sides of Yugi's head. Then, he planted a kiss on the other's unsuspecting lips.

When he broke the contact, Yami smiled at Yugi. “I have my place. As the monster.”

It was then Bakura's trigger finger itched. The tomb robber grabbed a fistful of Yami's hair from behind and forced the blade through his back until it poked out where the phantom's heart should lay.

Yami stayed silent. The smile didn't fade even as Bakura twisted the dagger and pulled it back out. He only gripped Yugi's shoulders tightly in response. The attack was deep but Yami's being would not be weakened by it alone.

Yet, Yami started to fade. “I believe... we're finished here.” His eyes snapped over to Atem as he stepped away from Yugi. “You ...lovesick idiot.” He stumbled towards him and grinned. “You may no longer hear me ….but I will be watching.” Yami fell against Atem and the smile weakened. “Don't screw this up ….Your Highness.”

With a burst, Yami's body faded. All the specks and debris found itself on Atem and sunk into the pharaoh's skin. Whatever energy Atem lost was restored.

The only thing lost was the voice demanding a blood sacrifice.

He touched his chest lightly as he tried to process the emotions running through him. He couldn't understand the strange feeling of loss in him.

He turned and looked at Yugi. For a moment, he could see the other empathizing. There were no words to exchange. No need to speak of the repercussions.

Yugi took a step closer to Atem. He smiled.

Then Atem closed the distance and gathered the other in his arms. For a while, they just held each other. As if the very moment either of them let go, they would be dragged back into a chaos and Hell that would threaten to separate them again.

But no more.

Then, the third party in the room cleared his throat loudly.

Both of them turned to see Bakura now covered in the more valuable items mixed in from the game. He stared at the two of them. “It would be about time for everyone to head back, don't you think? Aren't your friends waiting?”

Yugi nodded. “Right. Yeah.” He pulled away from Atem with a lot of reluctance before smiling. “I guess I'll see you back in the tomb.” Yugi then turned and looked at Bakura. “And, thank you, Bakura.”

Bakura looked confused.

“I know this probably wasn't easy for you but I'm really glad you were here. I could never tell you how grateful I am for what you did.”

Bakura coughed into his hand and looked away. “Y-yeah. I guess you got lucky. I was in a good mood.”

Yugi smiled widely then looked back at Atem before allowing himself to fade out of the soul room and back into his own where he could then return to the physical realm.

“He truly is a unique person.” Bakura finally said when Yugi was gone.

Atem smiled to himself. “Yes. One of a kind.”

“It's a shame to disappoint him like this.”

Atem realized it a moment too late. Something hard slammed into the back of his head where his skull met his spine. From there, he fell like a stone, unable to reconnect with his mortal form.

Bakura smirked and knelt down. “You promised me a body, Pharaoh. And I'm going to take advantage of it.”

The tomb robber thought for a moment he might be out of practice when it came to hijacking a body. However, he found himself figuring out the gist of it in no time.

He opened his eyes to see Yugi smiling down at him.

Bakura smiled back.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might be a little evil, I apologize. But not really because, like I said, evil.


	25. At Last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I kinda... didn't want to let this go yet.

 

From the moment Atem opened his eyes and smiled, Yugi could tell something was off. Part of him wanted to make an excuse and say it was all the trauma that both of them endured over the past few weeks. Atem just needed some time to process everything.

But that didn't sound right even as he tried to reason it.

It didn't take him long to figure out what must've gone array in there.

“We should get out of here.” Atem stood up and looked around the tomb. He picked up the dagger and studied it. “The others are probably worried.”

Yugi just stared at the back of Atem's head. He sighed. “This is getting pretty old hat even for you.”

Atem's spine tensed. He paused for a moment before turning with a smile on Yugi. “I don't know what you're talking about. Partner.”

Yugi looked at him sternly. “Bakura. Where's Atem?”

Atem's body lost the smile slowly before turning away again. He looked down at the dagger in his hands. “We made a deal. I'm just making sure he keeps up his end of the bargain.”

“What deal?” He took a step closer to Atem's stolen body.

“It doesn't concern you.” When he turned back to Yugi, there was a manic look on Atem's face. The dagger was brought up and pressed to the pharaoh's throat.

Yugi froze.

“You're going to let me borrow this for a little bit, yes?” Bakura's voice came through Atem's like a raspy version of the pharaoh. He knew he wasn't giving the other much choice in the matter.

Yugi said nothing as he stepped out of the doorway and let the possessed Atem pass. He walked on, his eyes on the dagger still tight in Bakura's grip. He didn't know what he could do. If he tried to return to his own soul room, he would be leaving Atem's body alone with Bakura. That was saying it even worked at all.

They walked out into the light of day. Mahad still stood by the door and his eyes smiled as both of them walked out. But then it turned into a look of confusion as he took in Atem. He followed the pharaoh with his eyes as a tingle worked up his spine and the need to protect began to overcome him.

Yugi placed a hand on Mahad's wrist and both of them watch warily as Atem looked around as if the sight was new to him.

Near Atem's body, the spirit of the pharaoh was awake. He watched from afar as Bakura took in a breeze and closed his eyes with a smile. Everyone moved closer, possibly to ask about the events inside the tomb.

But Bakura focused on one. He smiled. “It's nice to see you again, Landlord.”

Ryo froze as a tremor moved up his body. He stepped closer, carefully walking away from a stunned Marik. He looked as if he were about to cry as he reached out with a shaky hand.

Yugi kept a tense eye on Atem's body. He could feel a presence next to him that wasn't Mahad. “I don't know if this is a good idea.” He wasn't surprised when he heard a reply back.

_This is something they all need, Partner. Trust me, we'll all survive this._

Yugi glanced over in the direction of the voice before he looked back at Bakura in Atem's skin.

Ryo pursed his lips and shook his head. “There's... so much I wanted to say. I just don't know where to start.”

“I have an idea of where.” Marik stepped up and stared at Bakura. “How are you?”

For the first time, Bakura's smile was almost soft. “It's been rough. But it's all going to be worth it just to see you two again.”

They looked at him in confusion.

Yugi felt his stomach turn to lead as the bad feeling increased. The presence next to him disappeared.

Then Bakura turned the dagger in his hand and, with no hesitation, sliced from the top of Atem's left eyebrow and down to the jaw. Blood immediately came from the wound and Bakura cackled.

Everyone reacted at once. Jou jumped in and grabbed hold of Atem while Mahad nearly teleported to the pharaoh's side and ripped the blade from his hand.

Bakura didn't struggle. He just continued to laugh. “Now you'll have a way to remember me, Phar-!”

Everything stilled.

No one could be sure where he came from or how he approached without anyone noticing. Yugi's palm pressed against Atem's forehead. The third eye glowed right above the game king's glare. “ _Out. Now_.”

The world froze.

-

It was hard for him to look around when he was forced back in the soul room. The throne and the stone walls worked as a reminder this was not his. He didn't even have a room of his own here. This was a stolen form. While he knew that, it felt like a punch to the gut to remember it by stepping in and seeing nothing that belonged to him. He hated the pharaoh, yes. But he did have to admit there was a small bit of envy in his heart as well. It was something he would never admit aloud. No one could know.

Bakura heard footsteps come up from behind him.

“It's time for you to go.”

He didn't turn to see the other. He just smirked at the throne and spoke. “I guess this is goodbye.”

Atem shrugged. “More of an 'until we meet again.'”

It was then Bakura turned to the pharaoh. He looked surprised. “After this, you still plan to give me a form?” He eyed him suspiciously. “What are you trying to prove?”

“You cut me, Bakura. If you turned the blade even just a little, you could have simply stabbed through my eye and killed me before anyone could stop you. You chose not to. Don't think I didn't notice.”

“You think I _spared_ you?” He laughed.

Atem just smiled.

The laugh died as soon as it began. “You're not as wise as you believe.”

“I never claimed to be wise.” He crossed his arms. “Now, give me back my body so we can begin the work on creating yours.”

Bakura stared at him for a while before he reluctantly relinquished control. He felt a loss fill him when he remembered it wasn't his to have. He sneered at the other. “You'll regret this.”

“We'll see.”

With that, Bakura turned away and faded from view.

Atem opened his good eye and saw a tired Yugi right in front of him. He could feel warmth dripping down the other eyelid and completely off the side of his chin. It stung and was already beginning to swell from the abuse. Odds where if he could open it, he would only see red, if anything at all. He didn't have to look to know who was holding him back. “You can let go, Jounouchi.”

“Not until I'm sure you're you.”

“Alright. How do you propose we figure that out?”

Jou thought about it for a moment. “When's Yugi's birthday?”

“The 4th of June.”

“What's his favorite food?”

“Hamburgers. Jou, really-”

“Who won that duel we had before we met up with Yugi?”

There was a pause for a moment. Then, Atem sighed. “You did.”

Jou grinned and let go of Atem.

The pharaoh turned and glared at Jou as he rubbed his arms. “Was this really the time?”

“Just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page.”

A hand grabbed hold of Atem's chin. He turned to see Yugi's concerned face as his partner studied the new wound. He glanced over at Mahad. “My father probably has some medical supplies in his tent.”

Without a word, Mahad ran off to the tent.

Yugi shot a stern look at Atem. “I told you that was dangerous.”

Atem smiled awkwardly. “Yes, you did.”

His eyes softened ever so slightly. “Tell me this is the last thing to worry about.”

Atem's smile tensed. He looked away from Yugi and to the tent. “I wonder what's taking Mahad so long. I should help him look.” And he walked on with that same tense smile on his face.

Everyone turned in surprise when both Yugi and Kaiba called out in unison. “What did you do now?!”

- 

Atem didn't say a word until his eye was patched up. He didn't know where to begin. Now, back in the mortal world, parts of the void he was banished to feel like a dream he was slowly forgetting. The details of everything were beginning to get fuzzy.

His memory of Bakura was the only thing that stayed crystal clear. Although, if it was because of the promise or the attack was anyone's guess. He told them everything he could remember. There was stunned silence as he got to the promise he made.

“As a servant of the pharaoh, I would say I will stand by and help with all the decisions you make. But, as a friend,” Mahad frowned at Atem, “that was a reckless promise and you're lucky it didn't kill you. This time.”

Atem rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled. “Yes. But, I remembered someone once told me he was in pain.” He glanced at Ryo. “Being there... I believe I could feel it.” He looked back at Mahad. “Honestly, he is more deserving of a second chance than I am.”

Mahad sighed. “If you say so.”

“Besides, I was a little inspired by another person who returned.” Atem glanced at Kisara before he smirked. “He never did specify an _age_ for his new body.”

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. “Being an infant doesn't guarantee he won't be a maniac. It just means we have time and power to stop him.”

“Or prevent it from ever getting that far by teaching him otherwise,” Yugi spoke up.

Atem nodded. “Yes, exactly.”

Marik frowned. “Do you think he can be taught?”

“Only time will tell. But we will keep an eye out for him. There is no doubt in my mind he will find his way to us even if we don't find him.”

“But then what?” Ryo asked softly.

Atem smiled at him. “Then we can all start over. Maybe even have some form of peace.”

Kaiba snorted. “Wishful thinking?”

“More of a hunch,” Atem smirked. “I'm liking the odds of him being redeemable.”

There was a quick and shaky intake of breath.

Everyone turned to Ryo. For a moment, he just stood there, shocked by the sound that came out of him. He looked around then looked down as his face turned bright red. “Sorry.”

Atem stared at Ryo. “Don't be. You have done nothing that requires an apology. Remember that.”

Ryo nodded slowly before he looked up again with a small smile on his face. “Then... Thank you. For believing me.”

Atem blinked in surprise for a moment before he smiled back.

It took only a few hours for everyone to figure out where to go. A helicopter twice the size of Kaiba's landed near the tent where Mr. Mutou's team piled in. Shunsuke followed behind them with one last glance to his son and a nod to Atem.

The Ishtars were the next to leave. With a quick handshake, Marik smiled at Atem. “I guess we can start over from here. Maybe, we might even be friends.”

Atem nodded with a returned smile. “I'd like that. Thank you for all your help. I'm in your debt.”

Marik chuckled and let go of his hand. “Careful, I might hold you to it.”

As they watched the Ishtars leave, Atem felt a weight press against him and arms wrap around him from his blind side. He looked at Yugi nuzzled into his shoulder. “Partner?”

“I'm so proud of you.”

Atem couldn't describe the feeling of lightness and joy that came over him as the words left Yugi's mouth. He couldn't find the words to reply so, instead, he simply hugged Yugi back and held him for a while.

It was finally coming together.

They let go of each other reluctantly as the helicopter's engines started to hum. Yugi turned and looked at it before he smiled back at Atem. “I guess we should get going before Kaiba tries to leave everyone behind.”

Yugi walked on and Atem moved to follow, an arm wrapped around the ex-pharaoh's shoulders and Anzu moved to stand on Atem's good side.

“It's good to know you'll be staying here for the long run. You had us scared.” Jou sounded as if he were admitting something difficult.

Anzu nodded and crossed her arms. “It was a little weird, though. Seeing you take over Yugi again.”

Atem frowned at her. “When did I do that?”

Jou glanced down at him. “After Bakura stabbed you? Yugi did the glowing eye thing?” He tapped his forehead with his free hand.

The frown deepened. “If I did, I wasn't in control. I just ended up with Bakura. I don't ... remember using Yugi to do it.” He wouldn't. Not without clear permission from his partner.

“Hey!”

The three of them looked at the helicopter to see Mokuba standing by Yugi and Kaiba. The younger brother had a hand cupped near his mouth as he shouted. “Seto's gonna leave without you guys if you don't hurry over!”

Yugi's eyes locked onto his. He was tired from the long day of saving his boyfriend's life. That was clear enough. But there was an image flash left from Bakura; an angry look. The glowing eye.

 _“Out.”_ Still. It was Yugi.

Right?

Anzu glared at them. “Oh, he better not!” The outburst pulled Atem from his thoughts.

Jou winced, his teeth clenched as both of them ran for their only ride home.

Maybe it was a question best left for later.

Atem watched, but only walked on with a smile. He knew it was an empty threat but he also knew better than to test Kaiba's patience.

Not to mention, he really wanted to go home now. He's had enough adventure for several lifetimes.

 

-

 

The journey home felt as if it would take forever. Everyone was exhausted. They split ways at the airport. Kisara and Anzu took a plane back to New York while everyone else headed to Domino.

Kaiba had paused right outside the plane before he said something to Mokuba and headed away.

Mokuba boarded without his brother. When everyone looked at him with questions, the younger Kaiba shrugged. “He's gotta few things to figure out back in New York.”

Yugi snorted in amusement at that.

As the plane took off and everyone settled in their seats, Yugi looked around to everyone. Ryo curled himself up in one of the seats and simply stared out the window. Jou stretched out in his seat, eyes closed and arms crossed. Mokuba stayed near the door to the cockpit and smirked knowingly at the screen of a computer. From where he sat, Yugi could hear Kaiba's voice coming from the laptop.

Yugi looked at Atem. The other had his head resting on his shoulder and his eye on their interlocked fingers. His thumb absentmindedly rubbed against Yugi's wrist.

“You know, I've been thinking...”

Atem looked up at Yugi.

“... I sort of want to take a step back from Duel Monsters. Maybe go back to school. Learn how to design my own games.” He looked down at Atem.

The ex-pharaoh smiled widely at him.

“I'm guessing you approve?” Yugi chuckled.

“Clearly, this is what would make you happy. How could I not approve?” He sat up to look Yugi in the eye a little better. “Besides, no one is ever going to beat you; this is the only way that title will go to anyone else.”

Yugi shrugged. “I don't know if that's true.” He looked down at their hands again. “Kaiba might be pissed.”

“And there's the cherry on top.”

Yugi couldn't help the laugh that burst out from him.

Atem just continued to smile. “But you do whatever you feel is right. I will always be here to support it.” His pressed his lips to Yugi's forehead.

Yugi smiled softly.

The entire process took only a few months. As they expected, Kaiba was far from pleased when he heard that Yugi was stepping away from the King of Games title. It bothered him so much that he even opted out for the following tournament where someone else would take on the title. It meant nothing to him if he wasn't number one and for Yugi to just step down meant there was still someone above him.

First, he would beat Yugi. Then He would make sure the King of Games title belonged to someone deserving.

The rest of the dueling world seemed to let out a giant sigh of relief followed by the scrambling to fight for the title. Kame Games had never gotten so many customers as people tried to prepare the decks.

By the time it was organized and underway, Yugi was already enrolled in his first semester. He wasn't at all surprised to see a few old faces appear to get their hands on the title.

Or the fact that Atem worked to get it for himself.

The duelists who witnessed the battle between him and Yugi at the King's Games remembered him as Yuki Fudo. When he dueled this time, he decided it was best to go with his actual name.

He was simply known as Atem. He didn't know what to give as a last name so he just left that space blank. It was the same for any of his legal paperwork pushed through with the help of Kaiba and Yugi's father. As far as anyone was concerned, Atem was an orphan who never ended up with a family.

Few people questioned it.

It was Summer when the finalists were announced and took center stage. Atem had become a crowd favorite right alongside Jounouchi. Everyone was ecstatic when they were the two finalists.

Everyone took the time to show up for the duel. Even Kaiba stepped away from his work to see Atem beat Jou for the title. At least then, he knew it was going to someone who was worthy.

Yugi smiled at him when he mentioned that aloud. “Don't be so sure, Kaiba. Either one of them could be the new king.”

He knew Kaiba didn't believe him but Yugi had seen how far they've both come.

So it was no surprise to him when the game was anyone's guess. But it was a giant surprise to Kaiba when Atem's lifepoints dropped to zero.

Jou blinked and just stared in shock. “I won?” His eyes lit up as a grin took hold and he jumped up in excitement. “I won!”

The smug look on Yugi's face didn't need to be seen for Kaiba to know it was there.

Nobody stopped the former game king when he jumped up from his seat and sprinted over to where the two duelists were shaking hands and Atem congratulated Jou on a duel well played.

Jou had a look of disbelief on his face. Still, he turned and grinned at his friend as Yugi trotted onto the stage. All three of them ignored the crowd as Yugi smiled back and laughed when the blond responded with one of his headlocks.

The crowd cheered as Jou turned back with his arms raised and shouted in his excitement. While he took the center stage, Yugi turned and smiled at Atem.

“You did well.”

Atem smiled back. “Thank you.”

The party thrown shortly after the tournament was large and invited anyone who was even remotely affiliated with the game. It was there Jou was excitedly approached by fans and other duelists while everyone just watched from afar.

No one bothered to look for the runner-up. Or the former king.

Yugi eventually found Atem outside the venue. He was staring up at the stars with a soft smile on his face and a phone in his hand. He didn't need to see Yugi to know he was there. “Mahad has begun his studies on modern day. At this rate, he should be ready to go anywhere by next month.”

“Ishizu is letting out a huge sigh of relief.”

He chuckled and looked at his partner. “I'm sure she's happy to find someone who also wants to speak about our history.”

Yugi found himself studying the scar that followed down Atem's eye. It healed well for a wound caused by a dirty blade. It was lucky Atem only lost a minimal amount of sight in it; nothing a pair of glasses wouldn't fix.

A pair of glasses that spent more time collecting dust in their room rather than on Atem's face.

He touched the scar lightly as if he were checking on it. There was no way it had changed since this morning. But now, Yugi was stalling as he thought of the proper phrasing for his next question. He cleared his throat and stepped away from Atem as he tried to swallow down all the nervous energy. “You know, I was thinking about you not having a last name.”

Atem snorted and looked back at the sky. “In my time, there were different uses for a surname. It no longer translates into this world.”

“Still, you're here now. So, I thought, maybe,” he rubbed the back of his head as his cheeks reddened, “you'd want to take mine?”

The former pharaoh let out a soft laugh. “Well, that would imply I was related to you. Unless I was your...” Realization hit hard. Atem's eyes landed on Yugi again as the blood continued to make his partner look like a tomato. He moved in closer. His heart raced. “Yugi, are you asking me... to..?”

“I-I know, there's not really a point considering we might as well already be but it was just a thought. I mean, it'll be great and all-”

“Yugi.”

“-but we could also go our whole lives without it. Right?”

Atem just blinked. For a moment, they just stared at each other.

Then Yugi cleared his throat. “But... despite all that... would you want to, uh, marry-?”

“Yes.” Atem laughed and pulled Yugi in for a tight hug. “Yes, absolutely.” It didn't take long for him to pull back and kiss the other. He was so overrun with joy, he didn't know exactly how to express it. He felt like screaming out so loud his voice would echo around the world.

It was the sound of clapping and loud whistling that announced they weren't alone. Everyone stood at the entrance and no one needed to say anything to know what they were celebrating.

They all ran up to congratulate them. As the two were surrounded by their friends, Atem finally felt what he hoped to feel from the moment he stepped out into the Domino snow.

He felt peaceful. This is where he belonged.

As they watched Anzu and Jou argue over who will make the better best man/maid of honor, Atem felt Yugi's hand slip into his own. He looked at his partner and smiled. They could worry about the details of this wedding at another time. Right now, he just wanted to bask in the feeling he had at that moment.

After all, they had their entire lives ahead of them.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the unofficial end of this story (There's one more chapter that needs some tweaking.) Thank you so much for reading, commenting, bookmarking, subscribing and kudos...ing. It really does mean a lot to me!  
> Maybe everyone will get a follow-up of some sort. Spin-off or sequel... we shall see. Who knows what the future holds!


	26. Epilogue: Twelve Years Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone had/is having a very Happy Holiday! I figured this is a good time to wrap everything up for this little fic of mine. It was a fun ride!

She was a curious case. They all said so.

From the moment she was born, the doctors would insist there was something wrong. How could it be possible for a perfectly healthy woman with no complications whatsoever to suddenly die during the birth of her child? It was a horrible tragedy and it was all her fault.

She knew the story because it was the one her father would tell her before putting her to sleep every night. It was the one he would whisper drunkenly at her door when he thought she wasn't awake.

It was the one he screamed at her when he tried to end her life at the age of seven.

And it was the one that echoed in her head as she stumbled out of the house, covered in blood and shaking as the police pulled up.

She didn't speak after that night. It was as if her voice left her the moment she was forced to plunge that knife into her father's chest. No matter what, she didn't state her name, she didn't tell anyone what happened. She didn't even ask for a drink of water.

As she was placed in home after home, no one was able to get her to open up. She sat in therapists' chairs and dealt with brain scans. She was diagnosed and treated again and again and again. Still, there was nothing to stop her from being mute.

When she stepped into the orphanage on the far corner of Egypt, it was just another day. She played by herself and noticed how many of the children were like her. Some had visible scars, others were twitchy and scared of their own shadow. A few of them stared through everyone with a dead-eyed expression.

But all of them lit up when a tall, thin man walked in the door.

She was a quiet one and had known where to stand to gain information. She knew that if it wasn't for this man, this orphanage would be shut down. It was made specifically for children like her; the broken toys of the world. And he had the money to keep this misfit club open. Maybe it was because he was broken too. It made her wonder how many of these places he funded as he tried to piece himself together.

She stayed away from the thin man with the blue eyes. His eyes were odd; soft as the sky when talking to children, hard as ice when he turned to an adult. But it wasn't just his eyes. Something about him made her uneasy. It was a strange feeling. She had never seen him before that day. There was no rational reason.

But a voice from within said it best. _Be Wary. He, and the others, are dangerous_.

The voice was what told her about her father. It was a deep, ancient wisdom. It knew best.

When those eyes landed on her, she expected him to say something. To try and get her to talk. To pat her on the head without her permission. Instead, he just turned away like he understood it was the last thing she wanted. The voice inside didn't correct itself but she had trusted it this far.

The following week, there were more visitors. Again, the children became excited. These men were shorter than the first, with weird hair and matching gold bands on their fingers. They didn't look as broken as the first. They were more relaxed and put more emotion behind their steps rather than calculation. They were far less guarded; that alone was concerning to her.

One of them was pale and smiled brightly. He taught the children different games and presented them with toys while speaking in slightly broken Arabic. But his enthusiasm rippled through the room. It drew everyone in and made them all want to just bask in the feeling.

She avoided it and regarded the feeling with suspicion.

Her eyes fell on the second guest. The other stood back with his arms crossed and didn't say nearly as much. He let his counterpart take the spotlight, content on simply standing back and watching. When he spoke, it was flawlessly fluent. The children mostly stayed away from him because he didn't look nearly as soft as his companion.

Most of them were simply scared of the giant, ugly scar over his eye.

She waited for everyone to be away as the scarred man with the weird hair watched with a gentle smile on his face. She felt drawn to him somehow. It was as if he were from a dream she had long since forgotten. Or, by the feeling that filled her at the sight of his face, maybe it was a nightmare.

Regardless, she felt like she had to let him know she was there. The voice inside said it as well.

“Where did you get that?” Her voice was a soft whisper. After years of underuse, she was surprised she could talk at all.

The man looked surprised as well. He turned to her and touched the scar as she pointed. “Oh.” He looked around as he thought of what to tell her. “Someone didn't like me very much.”

She nodded and felt comfortable enough to say exactly what she felt. “You probably deserved it.” She knew if it had been her father, she would be thrown across the room for such a statement. Most people wouldn't stand for an insult like this from a child like her.

But this man wasn't most people. She could tell just by looking at him there was something different about this one. And she was right. He blinked several times before a wide smile came over his face and he called out across the room. “Aibou!”

She didn't know what 'aibou' meant at the time, but it grabbed the other one's attention.

What followed seemed like a blur of memories and events. She was approached by others and she felt like she knew them all. She especially liked the soft-spoken albino man and the pretty man with sandy blond hair. Both of them looked at her as a long-time friend. They both looked very disappointed when she once again didn't utter a word.

 _Not yet,_ said the voice. _I'm not ready yet._

The pretty man was the last one. When he left, he didn't go far. Only to one of the offices within the orphanage. She followed him from afar to find out what these people were planning.

The door was left ajar.

“There's no doubt about it. She's it.” The pretty man placed a hand on the albino's shoulder. “I know you were hoping he would be born into something a little more stable.”

“That would be impossible.” The baritone voice of the man with the scar caught their attention. He looked surprisingly somber. “At least... her mother couldn't be helped. Her father was a horribly unfortunate side-effect.”

The room was silent for a moment.

The pale one with the weird hair said something in what was probably his native tongue. It sounded like a question.

The scarred man smiled and replied in the same language. Then, he looked in the direction of the door. “We'll have to figure out where to place her.” His eyes were on her. She could feel them.

She pulled away from the door and tried to hide a little better.

She soon found they wouldn't tell her anything else as they all spoke in the other language.

It didn't take her long before she discovered what they must have been discussing. Weird Hair Pale Edition came to her the next day. She knew all of them had seen her files. She knew the fact that she killed someone was in those papers.

She knew this because a lot of potential parents would read it and immediately lose interest in her. It also didn't help that she didn't smile or talk to them. But that was neither here nor there.

The man took a seat in front of her with his scarred companion hovering around in the back. She pretended she didn't notice them and just fumbled with one of the little handheld game systems provided by the blue-eyed guy.

“Level fifty-five.” He sounded impressed. “....Playing long?”

She shook her head and kept playing. She was told a million times it was rude to not give attention to the adults.

This one didn't seem to care. “I heard that could take years.” He had a smile in his voice. “My name is Yugi Mutou. I thought it would be nice to get to know each other.”

Why? She didn't voice the question. Instead, she heard the click of a pen. Seconds later, the pale hand slid a piece of paper closer to her. “Here. I know you don't want to talk now. You're in your game. But maybe... call or text. You can do it anytime.”

She paused the game and looked at the paper. She watched him stand up with that kind smile still on his face. He didn't say another word as he walked out.

The scarred man glanced at her one last time before he followed as well.

Once they left, she looked at the paper and found two numbers. 'Yugi Mutou' and 'Atem Mutou.'

It would be another day until she took Yugi up on his offer. Her heart raced as she 'borrowed' a phone from one of the adults and hid away in a small alcove she found in a closet.

It rang three times before a tired voice picked up. “...Hello?” His tone had the semblance of a yawn.

She felt her heart in her throat. It took nearly a full minute before she found her voice again. “M-my name is Hibbah...”

There was a moment of silence on the other end. Then, a chuckle. “Of course it is.” She could hear him shifting before he spoke again. “I'll be honest, Hibbah, I was not expecting you to call so soon. Or to choose to call me rather than Yugi.”

She didn't know why she chose Atem either. Something just told her this was the right way to do it. Something about him made it easy to speak. “Are you.... _always_ being honest?”

“I try to be, yes.”

She stared at her knees as she prepared her question. “Are you guys... afraid of me?”

There was a pause. Then, a reply that sounded slightly stunned by her question. “No.” She could hear a frown. “Are people there afraid of you?”

She could feel a lump in her throat.

“Hibbah?”

She hated that name. It never felt right. Nothing about this felt right to her. She let out a soft sob and covered her mouth in hopes that Atem wouldn't hear her.

But if the silence was any indication, she was not as quiet as she hoped.

“Hibbah.” He spoke after a while. “What if we took you away from there?”

She sucked in a shaky breath.

“I can't promise it would be an easy transition but we can give you a home.” His voice was softer than she remembered. He was supposed to be harsh; like an evil, tyrannical king. She didn't know why that was the conclusion, but she couldn't see it any other way. This kind, soft man didn't translate correctly. “I would understand if you would rather not. It would be far away from Egypt, after all. But maybe you'd like the chance to start fresh and leave the past there.”

Leave the past there. It felt like that meant more than simply her upbringing. She sobbed again. She was so torn. On one side, she wanted to be away from everything that reminded her of what happened. There was so much blood she had yet to wipe away. And everything in her screamed to get away while she had the chance.

On the other, her instincts told her Atem wasn't what he seemed. None of them were what they seemed. And that could be dangerous.

Eventually, the temptation to leave was too much. She had hung up on Atem abruptly but practically ran into Yugi's arms when the Mutous made an appearance a few mornings after.

She stopped just short of him as she remembered herself. She kept her arms pressed down against her sides and her eyes on his feet.

Yugi blinked at her but regained his composure quickly. “Atem told me about your phone call. You did not answer him.” He moved a little closer. “Would you want to come with us?”

She shrugged.

“It's okay. Take time to think.”

She didn't think long. The two of them spent the rest of the day with her. And, even if she still felt there was something more to this story that they were hiding, Hibbah knew they were at least safe. At least, the voice within marked Yugi as safe. It still wasn't sure about Atem. It wanted to hate Atem.

It took a surprisingly short amount of time for the adoption to finalize. She wondered how cutthroat these people truly were if they were able to get it through so quickly.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be apart of whoever they were.

She wasn't sure she liked Domino at first. It was busy and everyone in the area seemed as if they were hiding something or about to attack someone. She didn't like it. Even after a few months when she was beginning school, she didn't know how safe she truly felt outside of the little home they made.

The Mutous did everything in their power to welcome her. They lived above a game shop that was at one point owned by an old man; her new father's grandpa. She knew this before Yugi introduced her to the modest death alter but she couldn't quite figure out why she knew.

He had a sad smile when he spoke of his grandfather. He was described as a good man. A loving man. A man that both her adopted parents looked to with respect and admiration. She learned he died only a few months before they found her at the orphanage.

She just barely missed him. Her heart sunk ever so slightly at the knowledge.

In the first week, Hibbah found there was no pressure to do much of anything. They told her it was okay to take the time to adjust to her new surroundings. She was given her own room where she was able to move in all of her own stuff.

What little she had, at least. It was very sparse.

That didn't last long as she got to meet what seemed to be a strange little misfit family. She first met a brunette woman who was absolutely overjoyed to see her. The woman asked her questions then switched to yes or no questions when Hibbah met them with silence.

She met the King of Games shortly after. She had seen him on TV in both interviews and tournaments. He was boisterous and possibly a little dumb. But he somehow knew better than anyone what she wanted to say to him with only a look or a vague gesture. Still, she could tell it was frustrating to him that she wouldn't speak.

Everyone hid their frustrations. All of them looked on in confusion when she would whisper to Atem but not speak to anyone else. It didn't help that Atem had to translate for her at first. He worked to teach her a bit of Japanese. It did her no good considering she wouldn't speak to anyone but him.

At first, at least.

It was the night before she was to go to school that she finally spoke to her other housemate. He was in the kitchen with his back to her. Atem was... somewhere. Possibly working in the game shop, maybe out in one of those card tournaments. She didn't care enough to keep track of him.

Right now, she felt like she was ready to speak to Yugi.

He didn't turn when she walked in but he spoke to her nonetheless. “I'm making tea if you'd like some.”

“What... do I call... you?” Her Japanese was far from the best. She hoped she didn't curse at him or something.

He tensed and looked at her in surprise.

Hibbah frowned at him. “Understand?”

“Y-yeah. I do.” He laughed softly. “I just didn't expect you to speak to me.”

Some of what he said was lost to her. But she picked up on the gist of it.

Yugi placed two cups down on the table as he thought about what he wanted to say. He looked back at her. “You can call me whatever makes you feel most comfortable. I won't be upset if you just call me 'Yugi.'”

'Yugi.' No. That wouldn't do at all. He was more than 'Yugi' to her. He was... hm. “...How do you say 'alab'?”

He stared for a moment, unsure what she was saying. But then, the realization came over his features and something sparked into his eyes. It was gone before she could properly identify it. “Otousan.”

“Otousan.” She said it experimentally and stared at the table when she did. She looked back up at Yugi to find his eyes with a strangely wavering look before he blinked a few times and smiled at her.

There was a dusting of pink on his cheeks. “Ah, you don't need to call me that if it makes you uncomfortable.”

She touched her lips and thought about it. It wasn't like alab. It didn't have that monster hanging over the word. She could say it without a flashback to the man who tried to kill her. She nodded confidently. “It is comfortable.”

He smiled softly at her and gave a small nod back.

It didn't take a lot of time for both her and Yugi to get used to the title. For a while, he would respond in a way that was clear he was feeling emotional about it. Eyes wavering, a barely concealed smile, things like that. When Atem first saw it, he looked concerned but then realized what got to his partner.

All the times after were looks of fond amusement.

So, Yugi became Otousan.

And Atem was... Atem.

She couldn't bring herself to call him anything else. The images of him in her mind connected to her birth father too easily. She wanted to avoid thinking of anyone like that. He seemed to understand without being told. The issue was never pushed.

It also didn't help that the voice inside still didn't like him.

It didn't matter. She reasoned this as she looked out among the odd family made up of misfit little friends. She watched them all laugh and happily chatter with one another. Even Kaiba had managed a smile of his own although it was usually hidden behind a snide comment to Jounouchi. Anzu did what she could to change the subject while Honda just rolled his eyes at the antics of the two. Yugi engaged in Anzu's new subject as Atem turned Kaiba's attention from Jou to himself with some sort of goading comment that made Jounouchi bark out a laugh.

Kaiba looked about ready to throttle the smirking Atem.

Ryo looked over at her and tilted his head. “Hibbah? Are you alright?”

She hadn't even realized she was crying until she blinked out of her thoughts. Still, she smiled through them and nodded.

Ryo blinked in confusion before he smiled as well. A knowing smile. It was almost as if he could also hear the voice inside her.

_It's odd... This is beginning to feel like a true home._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate title for this chapter: "What happened to Bakura?"  
> Like I said, maybe I'll return to it with some things I left blank. Like what happens after the story. Or maybe about a certain wedding I skipped over.  
> But, either way, thank you very much for reading!


End file.
